Department for Transport

Northern Trains

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking to ensure that Northern trains can restore the currently suspended direct service from Meadowhall station to York.

Wendy Morton: Operators are currently reviewing their timetables and budgets, and any service changes will be measured against this. Northern tells us there are several alternative rail options between Meadowhall and York however we will continue working with communities to identify specific concerns and help operators to develop the most effective timetable.

Great British Railways: Consultants

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many consultants are contracted by the Great British Railways Transition Team as of 7 February 2022.

Wendy Morton: The Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) is resourced primarily through secondments from the rail industry, ensuring a high level of industry knowledge and expertise. Where necessary, consultants are used to provide additional capability and expertise. On 7 February 2022 there were 68.8 (full time equivalent) consultants supporting GBRTT, including assisting with the implementation of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail

Taxis: Assistance Animals

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking to ensure that assistance dog owners are not unlawfully refused entry to taxis and mini cabs.

Wendy Morton: Effective disability awareness training can help ensure that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide passengers with appropriate assistance, so that they can travel independently and with confidence. This includes ensuring that drivers understand what is expected of them when carrying assistance dogs.The Department wants every local licensing authority to require taxi and PHV drivers to complete disability awareness training and will make this clear in updated best practice guidance, due to be published for consultation later in the year. Licensing authorities should also do all they can to challenge inaccessibility, including ensuring that drivers who discriminate face prosecution and the loss of their taxi/PHV licence.The Government also remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of empty or almost empty flights that have left the UK by airport in each month since March 2020.

Robert Courts: The number of departing international passenger flights operating with no more than 10% of their available seats filled since March 2020 by airport and by month is presented in the attached document. This is based on data collected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on commercial flight operations, and is currently complete until September 2021.Departing flights may operate with a low number of passengers for a range of reasons. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Government has provided alleviation from the normal slot regulations that require airlines to operate 80% of their slots in order to retain them for the following season. This means that airlines have not been required to operate empty or almost empty flights solely to retain their historic slots rights.As the pandemic has gone on and aviation demand has increased, the Government wants to encourage recovery. A draft Statutory Instrument setting out arrangements for Summer 2022 was published on 24 January 2022. To reduce the risk of airlines operating environmentally damaging empty or near-empty flights, this legislation includes an enhanced justified non-utilisation provision, meaning that airlines will not be required to operate slots where markets are substantively closed to passenger traffic.March 2020 - September 2021 - Attachment (xlsx, 126.0KB)

Motor Vehicles: Noise

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to extend the legislative powers of local authorities to enable them to use cameras for the purposes of enforcement of noise pollution regulation.

Trudy Harrison: The Department published results of initial research into enforcement against excessively noisy vehicles using “noise cameras” on 2 August 2021. This research has shown that the technology has the potential to be used for enforcement, but that there are still difficulties in accurately measuring noise from individual vehicles in busier traffic conditions. Further research has commenced and, as the research develops, the Government will keep under review the way “noise cameras” can be used.

Driving Licences: Applications

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to tackle the delays in the DVLA's handling of driving licence renewals and applications.

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional resources his Department has made available to the DVLA to help it clear the backlog of driving licence renewals and applications.

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of people currently waiting more than the estimated 10 week turnaround for the renewal of their driving licence.

Trudy Harrison: The quickest and easiest way to apply for a driving licence is by using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online service. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their licence within a few days.However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application and the DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day. To help reduce waiting times for paper applications, the DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff, increased overtime working and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found here.On 4 February, there were 178,926 driving licence renewal applications that had taken ten weeks or more. The vast majority of these are applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued to ensure the required medical standards are met. In December, the Department for Health and Social Care asked the DVLA to stop sending medical questionnaires (excluding vocational applications) to NHS doctors in December and January to allow the NHS to focus all efforts on the vaccination booster programme. While referrals to doctors have now resumed, this has had an impact on turnaround times. It is important to note that the large majority of these drivers will be able to continue driving under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act while they are waiting for their application to be processed.

Bypasses: Shipley

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the feasibility study for the Shipley Eastern Bypass.

Trudy Harrison: The Department is waiting for Bradford Council to submit the feasibility study for the proposed Shipley Eastern Bypass, following which it will be assessed.

Electric Vehicles: Mechanical Engineering

Sarah Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to support training opportunities for young people who wish to pursue careers as electric vehicle mechanics.

Trudy Harrison: Our strategy for net zero is to lead the world in ending our contribution to climate change, while turning this mission into the greatest opportunity for jobs and prosperity for our country since the industrial revolution.The Government is helping to develop the green skills needed for this net zero economy through initiatives such as the Green apprenticeships, Green Skills Bootcamps, Electrification skills boost, and Free Courses for Jobs.We are also working with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). The Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has endorsed the IMI’s TechSafe scheme to help ensure the UK’s workforce of mechanics are well trained and have the skills they need to repair electric vehicles safely.OZEV has also endorsed the National Franchise Dealers Association’s Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) Scheme which is a set of standards for automotive retail designed to recognise business excellence in the EV sector, in retail and after-sales care. The EVA mark is then awarded to individual locations that are rigorously and independently audited to ensure this standard is maintained.

Highway Code: Disability

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason there is no depiction of non-abled bodied individuals, such as those who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters, as pedestrians in the Highway Code.

Trudy Harrison: The Department is committed to fair and inclusive imagery in The Highway Code and keeps the depictions of road users in the publication under review.The updated Highway Code, published on 29 January, includes updates to improve road safety for users of wheelchairs and mobility scooters and there are depictions of a wheelchair user as a pedestrian in Rule H2 and Rule 192.

Clean Air Zones: Birmingham

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the payment system of Birmingham's Clean Air Zone which does not alert drivers when they have entered the zone prompting them to pay.

Trudy Harrison: We have not commissioned an autopay system because the Clean Air Zone payment service is proposed to be decommissioned once compliance and a permanent improvement in air quality has been achieved.We have had to balance many factors in designing the Clean Air Zone payment service, including the legal imperative to act in the shortest possible time. Autopay would have added to the technical complexity.The Clean Air Zone Framework makes it clear that “as a minimum requirement, there must be traffic signing strategies in place along major access routes and at entry points to clearly delineate the zone, and alternative routes for those who wish to divert around it.” More than 300 signs have been installed by Birmingham City Council on the road network surrounding the boundary of Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone to inform drivers they are approaching the zone.

Department for Education

Sign Language: Teachers

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of giving native British Sign Language users training and full accreditation as British Sign Language teachers in statutory education.

Mr Robin Walker: The department is determined that all children and young people, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, receive the support they need to succeed in their education. Those teaching classes of children with sensory impairment must hold an appropriate qualification approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. Teachers working in an advisory role to support such pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification.Wider decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements, which may include further training and development relating to British Sign Language.All teachers in local authority maintained schools or non-maintained special schools in England are required to hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is awarded upon successful completion of an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course.All ITT courses must be designed to allow trainees to reach the Teachers Standards, including standard 5, which states that teachers should “adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils”. Standard 5 is clear that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. The Teachers’ Standards are available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards.

Primary Education: Assessments

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the recent communication of the Minister of State for School Standards to all primary school heads on assessments taking place in the academic year 2021-22, what steps will be taken to analyse attainment; in what form the analysis of those assessments will be disseminated to (a) parents, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools in respect of those pupils transferring to year 6 at the start of the new academic year.

Mr Robin Walker: The department will publish statistics at national, regional and local authority level for key stage 2, including analysis of attainment and progress by pupil and school characteristics. These statistics will be published on explore education statistics and have been announced via the department’s statistics release calendar. This can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.The data from the national statistics publication will also help the department understand trends in education recovery.As primary school tests and assessments will be returning for the first time since 2019, without any adaptations, the 2021/22 key stage 2 results will not be published in compare school and college performance tables, accessed here: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/find-a-school-in-england.Schools are required to provide parents with the results of national curriculum assessments for their child, alongside comparative information on the results of pupils of the same age in the school and of those pupils nationally.Primary schools may also share information about pupil attainment at key stage 2 with secondary schools.

Schools: CCTV

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will take steps to ban the use of surveillance cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua in schools in the UK.

Mr Robin Walker: The department is not able to ban the use of surveillance cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua in schools. Any decision to install CCTV in schools should be taken after careful consideration by the headteacher and governors and after appropriate consultation with pupils and parents. Any CCTV installation must comply with all laws relating to its use.In January, the government announced the provision of new guidance and support for UK public sector bodies, which will include schools, to exclude suppliers where there is sufficient evidence of human rights violations in any of their supply chains.

Pre-school Education: Communication Skills

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have signed up to the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that programme.

Will Quince: Since the programme was introduced as part of the department’s education recovery response during the COVID-19 outbreak,11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme over the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22. The majority of these schools have free school meal rates above the national average. The full list of schools taking part will be published shortly.The NELI programme has been extensively trialled, with three randomised control trials demonstrating its effectiveness in raising language and literacy outcomes for reception age children.The Education Endowment Foundation plans to provide an independent evaluation of the second year of the scale up of the NELI. The research project plans to gather and share useful lessons about the programme itself, as well as broader lessons about offering educational programmes at scale to English schools.

Home Education: Attendance

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce an attendance code to specifically authorise home learning whilst children in risk groups, as defined in table 4 of the Green Book Chapter 14a, are awaiting full covid-19 vaccination.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to authorise school absences of children in risk groups as defined by table 4, the Green Book Chapter 14a, until they have been fully vaccinated and obtained maximum protection.

Mr Robin Walker: Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing and long-term development. School attendance is mandatory and parents have a duty, under section 7 of the Education Act 1996, to ensure that their child of compulsory age receives an efficient full-time education either by attendance at school or otherwise.Following expert clinical advice and the successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, people previously considered to be particularly vulnerable, clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), and high or higher-risk are no longer advised to shield.Children and young people previously considered CEV should attend school and should follow the same COVID-19 guidance as the rest of the population. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. If, however, a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment, they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist. The NHS is also now vaccinating the most at risk 5 to 11-year-olds.Schools are responsible for recording absence in the register using the most appropriate code in line with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended. As usual, school leaders continue to have discretion to grant leaves of absence in exceptional circumstances. Where a pupil is not attending school for reasons related to COVID-19, we expect the school to offer them immediate access to remote education. Schools must also have regard to the expectations for remote education which are available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/statutory-obligations.

Lifelong Education: Finance

Kate Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the Government is introducing a Lifelong Loan Entitlement for modules and full years of study at levels 4-6 but not at level 3 and below.

Kate Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Lifelong Loan Entitlement, for what reason a student studying a module at level 4 in higher education will be eligible for maintenance support, but an adult wishing to do a full level 3 qualification does not qualify for that support.

Alex Burghart: The Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) will provide individuals with a loan entitlement to the equivalent of four years of post-18 education to use over their lifetime. It will be available for both modules and full years of study at higher technical and degree levels (levels 4 to 6), regardless of whether they are provided in colleges or universities.We want to drive a transformative impact on post-18 study, delivering greater parity between further education (FE) and higher education (HE). Under this flexible skills system, people will be able to space out their studies and learn at a pace that is right for them, including choosing to build up their qualifications over time, within both FE and HE providers.The Skills and post-16 Education Bill modifies my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s existing powers to set the levels of loan available to support more modular provision, which could extend across both tuition fee and maintenance support. The LLE is also intended to fund whole courses, or their component modules if taken separately, that meet the necessary regulatory requirements and are provided by or on behalf of a registered provider. We are considering what maintenance loans and student support grants would be available for any study funded through the LLE, as well as how to best support modular study. We will consult on the detail and scope of this in due course. The LLE does not extend to level 3 provision, which is already funded through a number of other funding streams.The Adult Education Budget (AEB) fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. This includes a statutory entitlement to full funding for adult learners aged 19-23 undertaking their first full qualification at level 3.Since 1 April 2021, the National Skills Fund has been supporting any adult who does not have A level equivalent or higher qualifications, to access over 400 fully funded level 3 courses, with Free Courses for Jobs. This offer is a long-term commitment, backed by £95 million from the National Skills Fund in year one. From April, any adult in England earning under the national living wage annually (£18,525) or unemployed, will also be able to access the Free Courses for Jobs offer for free, regardless of their prior qualification level.Living costs support is not offered to those undertaking level 3 qualifications. General support for those costs is provided for by the Department for Work and Pensions. Through grant funding and a bursary fund for those with an advanced learner loan, colleges and other training providers are able to help adult learners overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part or continuing in learning. This includes:Learner support to support learners in financial hardship. Providers have discretion to help learners meet course related costs such as transport, accommodation, books, equipment and childcare.Learning support to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Students: Coronavirus

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department has issued to schools regarding students diagnosed with long covid.

Mr Robin Walker: It is important that children and young people continue to attend their education and childcare providers. Long COVID symptoms can vary and range in severity and will not necessarily impact on pupils’ or students’ ability to attend their education or childcare provider. Most adults, young people, and children who develop COVID-19 resolve within the first four weeks. However, everyone is different and recovery time can vary from one individual to another. Pupils or students absent from their education for a prolonged period due to long COVID should be supported in the same manner as those absent due to other medium to long-term illnesses or medical conditions.Department for Education guidance states that local authorities must arrange suitable full-time education (or as much education as the child’s health condition allows) for children of compulsory education age who, because of illness, would otherwise not receive suitable education. This should be provided as soon as it is clear that the child will be away from education for 15 days or more, either consecutively or cumulatively. Education providers should liaise with appropriate medical professionals to ensure minimal delay in arranging appropriate provision for the child. If a child is looked-after or previously looked-after, their virtual school head should also be involved in making these arrangements. Further detailed information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-children-with-health-needs-who-cannot-attend-school.The NHS website offers further guidance for those experiencing long COVID, this can be found here: https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/.

Schools: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the additional pressures being placed on schools with high levels of covid-19 related staff absence of the resumption of Ofsted inspections.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will (a) suspend Ofsted inspections in schools which are experiencing staffing or pupil shortages as a result of covid-19 and (b) ask Ofsted to engage instead in a supportive visit to those schools.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential (a) merits and (b) feasibility of redeploying Ofsted staff to work in schools experiencing staffing challenges as a result of covid-19 rather than participating in inspections.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if Ofsted will work with local authorities on supporting schools through the covid-19 outbreak and ensuring that children who are most at risk are adequately safeguarded, rather than carrying out full inspections during the current period of high staff absence.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Schools on the potential merits for suspending Ofsted inspections to all other services outside of schools in place of a providing a supportive Ofsted visit to assist services deal with present challenges due to covid-19 absences.

Mr Robin Walker: Ministers engage regularly with Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, on a range of matters, including inspection arrangements in the changing context of the COVID-19 outbreak.There are no plans to suspend Ofsted inspections at this time. Ofsted inspection continues to play an important role in providing independent assurance as providers respond to COVID-19. However, it is right that these arrangements are kept under review, and adjustments made where appropriate.Schools are having to do the best for their pupils in challenging and unpredictable situations caused by COVID-19. It is right that inspectors recognise this in their assessments. Ofsted has updated its inspection handbooks and adjusted its inspection approach to take account of the challenges raised by COVID-19. From the start of this calendar year to 31 January 2022, Ofsted temporarily halted use of part time inspectors who are also frontline leaders so they could focus on their leadership responsibilities. Ofsted is now inviting those who can inspect again to do so, but as has always been the case, it will be for frontline leaders to decide whether to offer their services to Ofsted. Additionally, schools facing acute disruption, including due to significant staff absence, can request a deferral of the inspection. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, has confirmed that all requests will be considered carefully and sensitively by Ofsted.The deployment of Ofsted inspectors and its engagement with other agencies, including local authorities, is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you directly about these issues and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Turing Scheme

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Capita published an exit plan within two months of the Turing Scheme service contract award date.

Alex Burghart: Capita has already produced a draft exit plan in accordance with the contract. Exit plans are defined between the parties of the contract and not published in the public domain.

Pre-school Education

Naz Shah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of families who are in work but unable to access the 30-hour early education entitlement for three and four year-olds.

Will Quince: All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free early education, regardless of parental income or working status.Families are entitled to 30 hours free childcare if the sole parent in a single parent family, or both parents in a two-parent household, are working at least 16 hours a week at national minimum wage or living wage, but earns under £100,000 per year. Approximately 72% of eligible families were registered to take up a 30 hours free childcare place in January 2021.The number of children eligible for 30 hours changes each year due to changing cohort size and parental employment changes. An estimated 460,000 children may have been eligible in January 2021, although this estimate does not account for the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on parental employment.In 2019, the childcare and early years survey of parents found that of those not taking up the 30 hour entitlement offer, 52% gave reasons relating to eligibility, such as being unable to meet the income thresholds by either working too little or earning above £100,000 per year. The remaining 48% gave reasons unrelated to eligibility, mostly relating to not requiring the free childcare. However, 7% of parents surveyed said their provider did not offer the 30 hours of free childcare. Further statistics from the survey can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2019.

Disability and Special Educational Needs: Birmingham

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of progress in improvement to special educational needs and disability provisions in Birmingham since the introduction of a SEND Commissioner in October 2021.

Will Quince: Since his appointment, the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Commissioner, John Coughlan, has been working closely with Birmingham City Council and its key partners and stakeholders, including schools, to understand the system challenges that contributed to the local area’s failure to make sufficient progress in all previously identified areas of significant weakness, to assess the council’s capacity and capability to improve services at pace.Ensuring children and young people with SEND in Birmingham receive the right support when they need it is a priority. The SEND Commissioner is preparing his final report, including recommendations, for the improvement of SEND services. I will consider this carefully upon receipt.

Adoption: Self-employed

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made adequacy of access to financial support for self-employed adoptive parents after a child has been placed with them.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of uptake of adoption leave by self-employed parents following adoption; and what steps he is taking to ensure taking adoption leave is affordable for new adoptive parents.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent comparative assessment has he made of the levels of (a) financial and (b) other support available to (i) self-employed and (ii) employed adoptive parents.

Will Quince: The government wants the adoption system to welcome prospective adopters from all walks of life and backgrounds. The overall intention of the statutory framework is to ensure that the adoption of a child or the continuation of adoption arrangements should not be prevented because of lack of financial support.Prospective adopters are entitled to an assessment of their family’s needs. However, information about the uptake of adoption leave or its affordability for new adoptive parents is not collected centrallyIt is open to local authorities to make discretionary payments to assist adoptive families. Statutory adoption guidance encourages them to do so where adopters do not qualify for any statutory payment because of their self-employment, given that financial and other support available to self-employed and employed adoptive parents is not directly comparable in all respects.

Schools: Inspections

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have not had an Ofsted inspection within the last (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools which have not had an Ofsted inspection within the last (a) 5 years, (b) 10 years and (c) 15 years were rated as (i) Outstanding, (ii) Good, (iii) Requires Improvement and (iv) Inadequate when they last received a rating.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have not had an Ofsted inspection within the last (a) five, (b) ten and (c) 15 years as a result of conversion to academy status.

Mr Robin Walker: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Schools: Uniforms

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the publication on 19 November 2021 of statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms, what assessment he has made of the ability of the responsible bodies to accurately assess what is affordable in terms of the total cost of school uniform; whether he plans to issue further guidance; and what recourse is available to parents for whom the new uniforms costs are unaffordable.

Mr Robin Walker: It is for the governing body of a school (or the academy trust, in the case of academies) to determine their uniform policy. The department has published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform that requires schools to prioritise cost consideration for parents and to keep school uniforms affordable.The department has sought to provide a framework in the guidance that sets clear direction for schools on factors which affect affordability within which schools should operate. This should make uniform more affordable whilst also allowing for local decision making.School leaders know their local communities best and are best placed to take decisions on their uniform policy. These decisions should be informed by the views of pupils and parents. The guidance requires school leaders to engage with parents and pupils on cost issues when developing their uniform policy and a school should be able to show how these views have been considered in their policy.The guidance does not prevent schools or local authorities from offering support in cases of financial hardship where they choose to do so. The department does not currently intend on publishing additional guidance on the cost of school uniform.

Adoption Support Fund

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has for (a) extension of, (b) the size of and (c) changes to the operation of the Adoption Support Fund following the end of 2021-22.

Will Quince: On 1 February 2022, we announced that the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) will continue to offer invaluable support to eligible adoptive and special guardianship families up to March 2025. This will take us to the 10th consecutive year of funding for the ASF.Further announcements on the scope, budget, and operation of the ASF from April 2022 will be made shortly.

Pupils: Coronavirus

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of children’s ability to catch up with learning missed during the outbreak of covid-19 on children's mental health.

Will Quince: Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 disruption on the attainment and progress of all students is a key research priority for the government. The department has commissioned an independent research and assessment agency to provide a baseline assessment of catch-up needs for pupils in schools in England and monitor progress over the course of the 2020/21 academic year. The department’s latest evidence suggests that, in summer 2021, primary pupils were on average around 1 month behind in reading and around 3 months behind in maths compared to where the department would expect them to be in a ‘normal year’. Secondary pupils were behind in their learning in reading by around 2 months.The department is also examining the evidence on mental health wellbeing. The department's third annual state of the nation report, published on 8 February, identifies trends in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing recovery over the course of the 2020/21 academic year, as well as their views about society and the future. The findings show that overall, children’s wellbeing has remained largely stable across previous years although increasing virus prevalence rates and changing restrictions have coincided with fluctuation in levels of wellbeing throughout the period covered by the report.

Pre-school Education

Naz Shah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average income is of families with at least one parent in work who are (a) eligible and (b) ineligible for the 30-hour early education entitlement for three and four year olds.

Will Quince: All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education, regardless of parental income or working status. An additional 15 hours is available to parents who are working at least 16 hours a week at national minimum wage or living wage, but earn under £100,000 per year. This applies to single-parent households as well as both parents in a two-parent household, unless one partner is in receipt of certain benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance).The department holds some data on parental income levels from the 2019 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents, but not the relevant data to be able to assess against eligibility for the 30 hours entitlements. We are currently collecting our next set of data through the 2021 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents, scheduled for release in July 2022.

Children: Coronavirus

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made on the impact of covid-19 lockdowns and school closures on children’s mental health.

Will Quince: The department knows that the COVID-19 outbreak and the associated measures and restrictions, such as social distancing and school closures, has been impacting the mental wellbeing of some children and young people. The department published its third annual state of the nation report on 8 February, identifying trends in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing recovery over the course of the 2020/21 academic year, as well as their views about society and the future. Details of the report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-nation-2021-children-and-young-peoples-wellbeing.The findings show that overall, children’s wellbeing has remained largely stable across previous years although increasing virus prevalence rates and changing restrictions have coincided with fluctuation in levels of wellbeing throughout the period covered by the report.The report also shows that while the proportion of children and young people with a probable mental disorder increased from 11.6% of 6-to-16-year-olds in 2017 to 16% in summer 2020, this increasing trend has stabilised with 16.4% of this age group having a probable disorder in spring 2021.Evidence that children and young people with particular characteristics may have experienced more negative effects due to the COVID-19 outbreak has also been identified, such as those with special educational needs, from disadvantaged backgrounds or those with long-term physical health. This information has been used to inform the support measures put in place by the government.The department continues to work closely with health partners, voluntary sector partners, and clinical experts to understand and monitor impact and children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing through recovery and respond in the current context. A summary of relevant published sources of information is available in the children and young people chapter of the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing surveillance report, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-mental-health-and-wellbeing-surveillance-report/7-children-and-young-people.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Business: Coronavirus

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on whether any covid-related grants and loans were given to companies with links to the Russian Government.

Paul Scully: The Department does not hold information relating to the relationships between private companies and the Russian Government

Business: Inflation

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help businesses facing high inflation.

Paul Scully: The Government has provided around £400 billion of direct support for the economy since the start of the pandemic, which has helped to safeguard jobs, businesses and public services in every region and nation of the UK – this includes the £1 billion Omicron package of support announced in December, which was focused on supporting the hospitality, leisure and cultural sectors. Now that we have returned to Plan A and as individuals and businesses learn to live with Covid-19, it is right that this exceptional support comes to an end as planned. This is vital for a strong economy and to help rebuild the public finances. However, support is being withdrawn gradually, so that businesses can plan and adjust over time. Government also recognises the role that energy plays in inflation and impact on businesses of all sizes. Higher wholesale gas prices have been seen internationally in 2021. This has been due to multiple international factors in supply and demand.Ofgem and the Government are in regular contact with business groups and suppliers to understand the challenges they face. The Government understands the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people. We are working with international partners to tackle global supply chain issues and is providing support worth over around £12 billion this financial year and next to help people with the cost of living, as well as a package of support to help households with rising energy bills, worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23.

Employment Bill

Luke Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the introduction of the Employment Bill.

Paul Scully: The Government is committed to introducing new employment measures as we seek to build a high skilled, high productivity, high wage economy that delivers on our ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to work and grow a business. We have recently concluded a consultation containing proposals to reform flexible working regulations (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/making-flexible-working-the-default) and have published a Government response to a consultation regarding the establishment of a single enforcement body for employment rights (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/good-work-plan-establishing-a-new-single-enforcement-body-for-employment-rights). We will bring forward reforms to our employment framework when Parliamentary time allows it. In the meantime, we will continue to take necessary action to support businesses and protect jobs.

Research: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 170 of the Levelling Up White Paper, whether his Department plans to increase research and development spending by 40 per cent in each region outside the Greater South East.

George Freeman: The Levelling Up White Paper sets out a cross-Government commitment that domestic public investment in R&D outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40% by 2030, and over the Spending Review period by at least one third. We have not set specific targets for each region - the 40% increase refers to regions outside the Greater South East in aggregate. This ensures we are not constraining the ambitions of any one region. This mission, which refers to R&D expenditure across all Government Departments, will complement more targeted interventions in places with high R&D potential, including the £100m investment Innovation Accelerators supporting three UK city regions to become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation.

UK Relations with EU: Certification Quality Marks

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if we will negotiate a supplementary agreement with the EU on conformity assessment and the markings of industrial, electrical and electronic goods.

Paul Scully: Throughout negotiations, it was a UK priority to agree a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) across as many sectors as possible with the EU. We were not able to reach an agreement on this proposal. MRAs remain a useful tool, and we will continue to seek them in negotiations with partners where this would be beneficial. Nevertheless, the priority and key focus for the UK now is implementing our deal with the EU and supporting industry to adjust to the changes and opportunities ahead.

Ordnance Survey: Databases

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many place names in the Ordnance Survey's National Geographic Database have been changed from Welsh into English in each year since 2010.

Paul Scully: Ordnance Survey does not record the language of the names in the National Geographic Database; instead, it uses the ‘accepted’ name in the database, provided by the authoritative body responsible for the place, often the Local Authority. Should information about a place name change from English to Welsh or Welsh to English be received from an authoritative body such as a Local Authority, then that ‘accepted’ name change will be updated automatically in the National Geographic Database.

Ordnance Survey: Databases

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of (a) spelling and (b) location of Welsh place names in the Ordnance Survey data.

Paul Scully: Place names in Ordnance Survey data are sourced through updates received from authoritative bodies such as Local Authorities, or through ‘on the ground’ capture. To ensure that Ordnance Survey (OS) maps provide an accurate representation of the names in use in Wales in both their positioning and spelling, all data maintenance at Ordnance Survey is subjected to quality control as per ISO 19158 Geographic Information: Quality Assurance of data supply (2012) . This quality control methodology is itself scrutinised as part of a quality assurance process that is entirely separate from production. In the case of potential naming errors being identified we would complete our investigations through consultation with acknowledged authorities such as Local Authorities or National Parks. Reporting errors can be made through the Ordnance Survey website: https://ordnancesurvey.co.uk/contact-us.

Hydrogen: Environment Protection

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to buy and promote products from UK industries for the production of green hydrogen.

Greg Hands: The Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan set out the UK Government’s ambition for 5GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2030, including both electrolytic (green) and CCUS-enabled (blue) hydrogen. The Government is clear that in supporting the growth of a hydrogen economy, the government should maximise economic benefits for the UK. The UK’s natural assets, expertise, and innovation ecosystem provide the foundations for a world leading hydrogen sector. The Hydrogen Strategy makes clear the Government expects developers to ensure that competitive UK companies are in a fair position to bid into hydrogen projects, and the Government will actively monitor results. The forthcoming Sector Development Action Plan will set out more detail.

British Gas: Complaints

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many complaints Ofgem has received from British Gas customers on the bereavement services provided by that supplier because of (a) the location of that service in South Africa and (b) all other reasons; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: Ofgem monitors energy suppliers’ performance and publishes data on their customer service on its website at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-data-and-research/data-portal/customer-service-data. The location of call centres is a commercial matter for individual companies. In addition, Ofgem constantly assesses the experience of energy consumers in vulnerable situations, including bereavement and takes action to address the issues they face as energy users.

Energy: Prices

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people on low incomes are able to afford the rising costs of gas and electricity bills.

Greg Hands: The Government is committed to protecting customers from price spikes, particularly vulnerable customers. The Warm Home discount provides over 2 million households a £140 rebate off their energy bill each winter, and there are plans to increase it to £150 and help an extra 780,000 households. The Energy Company Obligation is being expanded to £1.billion p.a. which will ensure energy suppliers help 133,000 low-income households a year to permanently lower their bills by an average of £290 p.a. via insulation and new heating. From October, households in Great Britain will receive a £200 cash rebate on their energy costs. A £150 non-repayable reduction in Council Tax bills for (English) households in Bands A-D will apply from April with £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction. The Government has also provided an extra £500 million for local authorities through the new Household Support Fund to provide help to millions of the most in need. The Energy Price Cap will remain in place at least till the end of 2022 to ensure millions of customers pay a fair price for their energy.

Ammonia: Environment Protection

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting of green ammonia to help promote the Green agenda.

Greg Hands: Green ammonia can play an important role in helping the UK to meet its legally binding carbon budget and net zero commitments. As set out in the UK Hydrogen Strategy and the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, green ammonia (such as that created from hydrogen produced from green electricity or with carbon capture, usage and storage) is likely to play an important role in decarbonising UK domestic and international shipping. Ammonia made from low carbon hydrogen will also be important for decarbonising heavy industrial processes such as the production of fertilisers, and ammonia could provide an accessible and cost-effective method for transporting and storing low-carbon hydrogen for use across the economy.

Solar Power: Biodiversity

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) the proposed solar plant at Mallard Pass in Rutland and (b) other large scale solar plants on biodiversity.

Greg Hands: Due to its proposed size (over 50MW) Mallard Pass solar farm will be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. It is currently at the pre-application stage. When the application is ready it will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate will evaluate whether the application meets the necessary legal requirements. If it does, the Inspectorate will undertake a formal examination of the project in which the public will be able to participate and then provide a report to the Secretary of State to inform his decision-making. The Government recognises that in some cases solar farms can affect the local environment. Applicants must complete an Environmental Statement as part of their planning application, which will include an assessment of the impacts on biodiversity. Well-designed solar projects have been shown to enhance biodiversity.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has had discussions with British Gas regarding (a) their closure of applications for the Warm Home Discount scheme for 2021-22 and (b) a date for reopening the scheme in 2022-23.

Greg Hands: The ‘Broader Group’ is the only application-based element of the Warm Home Discount scheme. Energy suppliers are responsible for administering their own Broader Group processes, including deciding how they award rebates to their customers. The Government consulted last summer on reforms to the scheme that would enable the vast majority of customers to receive their rebate automatically, without the need to apply. The Government will publish the response to the consultation in the spring, with the reforms coming into force from the 2022/23 scheme year.

Energy: Meters

Sir Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to fine energy suppliers for not installing smart meters.

Greg Hands: The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for regulating energy suppliers against their smart metering obligations and has a range of tools available for doing this under its Enforcement Guidelines, including financial penalties.

Directors: Money Laundering

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure strict anti-money laundering and identity checks for directors are in place at the point of company formation on Companies House.

Paul Scully: The Government has already committed to introduce identity verification for all directors at the point of incorporation with Companies House. Third parties that seek to form companies are already required to be supervised for anti-money laundering purposes. Under the reforms announced by the Government in September 2020, third parties will be required to register with Companies House and have their supervision confirmed before they will be permitted to request company formations.

Self-employed: Adoption

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for statutory adoption pay to the self-employed.

Paul Scully: The Government recognises that it is crucial to the success of an adoption placement that an adopter takes time off work to care for and bond with their child.  So far, the Government has focused on supporting employed parents as they do not generally have the same level of flexibility and autonomy over how and when they work as self-employed parents do. However, we recognise that affordability may limit the time away from work that some self-employed adopters can take, and therefore statutory adoption guidance says that Local Authorities should consider making a payment - equivalent to Maternity Allowance - in cases where adopters do not qualify for any statutory payment because of their self-employment.

Paternity Leave

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of new fathers eligible to take Shared Parental Leave in each year since 2015-16.

Paul Scully: Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Pay was introduced in December 2014 for the parents of children due or adopted from 5 April 2015. The scheme enables eligible working parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay in the first year, where the mother does not intend to use her full maternity entitlements.The evaluation of the Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme remains important for the Government, and we will publish our report in due course. This will include an up-to-date estimate of eligibility and take-up.

Additional Restrictions Grant

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to section 28 of the Additional Restrictions Grant guidance for local authorities, whether businesses that pay business rates are eligible for the additional restrictions grant.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether businesses that pay business rates are eligible to apply for the additional restrictions grant.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the paying of business rates excludes a business from (a) applying and (b) receiving additional restrictions grant funding.

Paul Scully: Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has delivered an unprecedented package of support for businesses. Over £26bn has been allocated on business grants with a further £1 billion of support announced, in December 2021, for businesses in England most impacted by Omicron.  From this, £635 million has been made available for local authorities to support the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors and over £100 million of discretionary funding for businesses severely impacted by Omicron through the Additional Restrictions Grant scheme. Local Authorities are encouraged to support businesses from all sectors that have been severely impacted by restrictions, or by the Omicron variant, including those paying business rates. Further information on eligibility can be found in the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-restrictions-support-grants-lrsg-and-additional-restrictions-grant-arg-guidance-for-local-authorities

Parental Leave and Parental Pay

Luke Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will have discussions with HMRC about developing a payment mechanism for the introduction of neonatal leave and pay; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Scully: The Government is committed to taking forward neonatal leave and pay when parliamentary time allows. Payment systems for new leave entitlements are large-scale projects which require considerable investment. Officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and HMRC are already engaged in discussions regarding the development of the necessary system.

Employment: Pregnancy

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government last reviewed the recommendations of (a) the Equal Opportunities Commission’s 2006 report, Greater Expectations, on its investigation into discrimination against new and expectant mothers in the workplace and (b) subsequent reports by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Pregnancy and Maternity Related Discrimination and Disadvantage in 2016.

Paul Scully: The Equal Opportunities Commission’s Greater Expectations report and subsequently EHRC’s work, which was based on research jointly commissioned with the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, made a number of recommendations to respond to the risk and impact of pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace. The Government has an active programme of work in this area. We have consulted and committed to introduce legislation to improve redundancy protections for pregnant women and new mothers. We will introduce this when Parliamentary time allows. We have also established a Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board comprising business representatives, family groups and the TUC. The Board is considering the information and guidance on pregnancy and maternity discrimination to ensure it continues to be relevant and is effective in supporting employers and employees.

Competition and Trade: Regulation

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has taken steps to review the corpus of retained EU law and other UK regulations for the purposes of (a) identifying potential negative impact on (i) trade and (ii) competition and (b) prioritising for change those for which a potential negative impact is identified; what estimate he has made of the time it will take to complete such a review; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement changes identified.

Paul Scully: The Department is supporting the Government’s review into retained EU Law, which will provide an authoritative assessment of where retained EU law is concentrated on the statute book and assist the consideration of future legislative requirements. The recently published ‘Benefits of Brexit: how the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU’ policy paper announced that the Government intends to amend, replace, or repeal all the retained EU law that is not right for the UK and prioritise areas where reform can deliver the greatest economic gain, with the Government aiming to cut £1 billion of business costs from retained EU red tape. My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has also announced that the Government will bring forward a Brexit Freedoms Bill to make it easier to remove or amend retained EU law in the future.

Post Offices: Stockport

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of Post Office branch closures in Stockport.

Paul Scully: The Post Office network meets and exceeds Government-set access criteria which require, for instance, that 95% of the urban population is within one mile of the nearest post office. In order to help maintain services to each community, the Post Office uses solutions such as mobile or other types of outreach services where necessary. The constituency of Stockport currently has nine post office branches. I am not aware of any recent closures within the Stockport constituency.

Business: Closures

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2022 to Question 105543, on Business: Closures, what steps he taking to reduce the number of business deaths.

Paul Scully: In a dynamic and competitive economy, a proportion of businesses will cease trading each year, for a range of reasons. The government does not view business deaths as a reliable indicator of competitiveness, or economic health. Recognising the huge impact of the pandemic on businesses across the UK, this government has provided around £400 billion of direct support to the economy during this financial year and last, which has helped to safeguard jobs, businesses and public services in every region and nation of the UK. This includes a total of over £26bn in business grants.

Northern Ireland Office

Randox Laboratories: Northern Ireland

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons for specified minutes, notes, and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, HC1072, laid before the House on 3 February 2022, ref 24, page 46, if he will place a copy of his email to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the Library; whether his Department holds any other records relating to the attempted removal of extraction systems by Randox Laboratories Limited from Queen’s and Ulster Universities and the AFBI Lab; and whether he took any other steps in response.

Conor Burns: My Department does not hold any other records relating to the attempted removal of extraction systems by Randox Laboratories Limited from Queen’s and Ulster Universities and the AFBI Lab; and did not take any other steps in response. The email referenced in the question was not sent by a Northern Ireland Office Minister.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health: Children

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle rising mental health disorders amongst under-18s.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health: Children

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the increase in child mental health referrals.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Randox Laboratories

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 17 November 2021 for specified minutes, notes, and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, HC1072, laid before the House on 3 February 2022, Ref 2, page 6, for what reason the entry in the register of ministerial meetings relating to the Testing Taskforce meeting 8 April 2020 does not list Randox or Peter Fitzgerald as attending; and whether his Department holds a minute of that meeting.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

HIV Infection: Health Education and Screening

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that heterosexual men and women (a) are educated about and (b) can access HIV testing in all parts of England.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hyperactivity: Mental Health Services

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting times for ADHD assessment in (a) Stockport and (b) England.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Stockport

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of dental appointments that have been postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic in Stockport.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of The Paymaster General of 5 January 2022, Official report, col 122 that we have been building UK manufacturing capacity and we have been doing so by signing contracts with more than 30 British based companies for the provision of £3.9 billion items of PPE, if he will state the (a) number and (b) proportion of PPE items which were (a) imported from abroad and (b) manufactured onsite for each of those companies.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Paymaster General of 5 January 2022, Official Report, column 122, if he will list the more than 30 British-based companies who have signed contracts to provide 3.9 billion items of PPE including information on (a) the number and percentage of PPE items provided by each company and (b) the monetary value of each contract.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide the (a) number and (b) proportion of PPE items provided by each company identified through the High Priority Lane; and what the monetary value of each of those contracts was.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the current delays facing UK Coronavirus Test Device Approval (CTDA) assessments; and what plans his Department has to expedite the backlog before the February 2022 review deadline.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Contracts

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the existing dental prototype agreement scheme.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children and young people on free school meals were referred to specialist care for serious mental health problems in 2021.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Neale Hanvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Ministerial Statement HC WS324 made on 18 October 2021, whether his Department has plans for the continued supply and usage of tests on the Coronavirus Test Device Approvals (CTDA) exempt list after the 28 February 2022 deadline in the event the approval process is not completed on schedule.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health Services: Standards

Bambos Charalambous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to reduce delays to NHS urgent appointments.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps in response to current high levels of covid-19 (a) infection and (b) transmission.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his latest guidance is on steps to take to reduce covid-19 transmission in (a) York and (b) other areas with high infection rates.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health: Children and Young People

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) children and (b) young people showing indication for depression that would identify them in need of support; and how those figures compare to pre-pandemic levels.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Supermax Healthcare

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2022 to Question 97125, how many of the 1.2 billion items of personal protective equipment which are deemed to be not fit for use have been supplied by Supermax.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health Services: Standards

Bambos Charalambous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support the Government plans to provide to assist NHS trusts in England to reduce waiting times for urgent appointments.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Randox Laboratories

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 17 November 2021 for specified minutes, notes, and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, HC1072, laid before the House on 3 February 2022, Ref 24, page 46, whether his Department holds any other records relating to the attempted removal of extraction systems by Randox Laboratories Limited from Queen’s and Ulster Universities and the AFBI Lab; and what steps he took in response.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish his covid-19 vaccine strategy.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Randox Laboratories

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to response to the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons on 17 November 2021, for specified minutes, notes, and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, HC1072, for what reason there is no entry in the register of ministerial meetings of (a) the Microsoft Teams meeting between the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Innovation and Randox on August 7 2020 to discuss a letter sent by the CEO of Randox to the Secretary of State on August 6 2020 (b) the calls between the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Innovation, Randox and Owen Paterson of 14 May 2020 and (c) the telephone call between the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Innovation and the CEO of Randox over the weekend of 5-6 April 2020; and whether his Department holds minutes of these meetings.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Shortages

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of whether there is an HRT medical supplies shortage.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health Services: Rural Areas

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the recommendations outlined in the all-party Parliamentary group on rural health and social care's report on rural health provision in England.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Universities

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 174 of the Levelling Up White Paper, which NHS-university partnerships will receive the £30 million in additional funding; and what the criteria is for the allocation of that funding.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health Services: Rural Areas

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in his Department have roles with a specific focus on rural health.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Congleton

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the announcement of £7,310,000 allocated to the North West to secure additional dental appointments, what assessment he has made of the impact of that funding on access to dental appointments for people in Congleton constituency.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what safeguards his Department has put in place in respect of the awarding of contracts for personal protective equipment to avoid (a) groups of companies coordinating their bids and (b) applications from multiple companies with the same directors.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Prescriptions

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the consultation between his Department and NHS England on combining the costs for the two hormone replacement therapies, oestrogen and progesterone, into one prescription; and when that policy will be introduced.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Integrated Care Systems and Primary Health Care: Reviews

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made in the review that Amanda Pritchard has asked Dr Claire Fuller to lead on the matter of Primary Care Networks and how they will be supported under Integrated Care Systems.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Community Diagnostic Centres: Reviews

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to review the role and scope of community diagnostic hubs; whether he has a timeline for that review; and what steps he plans to take to support public engagement with that review.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital: Repairs and Maintenance

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of delays in the modernisation of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on the mortality rate.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Electronic Cigarettes: Sales

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure small convenience stores adhere to strict age verification standards for the sale of e-cigarettes; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement measures as a deterrent.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the numbers of (a) children and (b) young people showing indication for depression that would identify them in need of support; and what assessment he has made of the change in that level from pre-pandemic levels.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Workers: Birmingham

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of social care staff in Birmingham who have been dismissed following the introduction of the covid-19 vaccine mandate.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Schools

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to make changes to the Mental Health Support Teams model to ensure that it is fit for purpose in SEN schools.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what changes have been made to mental health services provision for children to help those services respond to increasing demand as a result of covid-19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Schools

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Mental Health Support Teams model for delivery in SEN schools.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Medwell Medical Products

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many items of personal protective equipment the Government has procured from Medwell Medical Products since January 2021.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to (a) increase and (b) tailor the provision of mental health services for children in response to increasing demand for those services following the covid-19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Eating Disorders: Children

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of children presenting with eating disorders compared to pre-covid-19 outbreak levels.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of covid-19 lateral flow tests (a) ordered through the gov.uk website and (b) collected at pharmacies, supermarkets and other venues.

Maggie Throup: We are working to ensure that people across the country can access lateral flow tests. The UK Health Security Agency has increased both the supply of tests and distribution capability. We have increased home delivery channel capacity to 7 million tests every day and record numbers of test kits are going to pharmacies across the country, over 16 million tests were delivered last week. 90 million lateral flow tests are expected to be distributed each week for the next few weeks.

NHS: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of NHS staffing levels in Barking, Havering and Redbridge.

Edward Argar: Local NHS Trusts are responsible for managing their own staffing levels. The local National Health Service (NHS) reports no major issue with NHS staff retention in Barking and Dagenham, Havering or Redbridge. In October 2021, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trusts employed 6,783 full time equivalent staff. This is 459 (7.3%) more than a year previously and 1,859 (37.8%) more than in October 2010.

Community Diagnostic Centres: Allergies

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of community diagnostic hubs offering blood testing to support the diagnosis of allergy.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has any plans to develop a national strategy to support the delivery of diagnostic services (a) in general and (b) for allergies and other non-communicable chronic conditions.

Edward Argar: The Elective Recovery Delivery Plan, published 8 February 2022, sets out the ambitions and plans for delivering diagnostic services to support elective recovery. At the Spending Review 2021, £2.3 billion of capital funding for National Health Service diagnostics was announced. This will be used to increase the number of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) to 160 in the next three years.CDCs offer diagnostic testing such as imaging, pathology, endoscopy and physiological measurements. The types of testing include blood tests and echocardiograms and whilst no specific assessment has been made pertaining to the diagnosis of allergies, these tests will help diagnose a range of non-communicable chronic conditions and may help diagnose severe allergy cases.There are currently no plans to develop an allergy strategy and no plans to establish allergy specific services in CDCs. Regions and systems will decide on the services each CDC will provide based on population needs. Most allergy testing is done in primary and community care settings, and in specifically in allergy testing clinics.

Newham Hospital: Repairs and Maintenance

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Report to the Trust Board: 19 January 2022, published by Barts Health NHS Trust on 19 January 2022, if he will make an assessment of the impact on patient safety of delays to the completion of fire safety works at Newham Hospital relating to the availability of NHS capital funding.

Edward Argar: Patient safety in hospitals is a top priority for this Government. The London Fire Brigade is working with Barts Health NHS Trust to ensure their facilities remain safe.National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for prioritising the funding of investment in their facilities, with additional funding available from the Department if required.

Coronavirus: Screening

Mohammad Yasin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available for people that cannot take a nasal covid-19 test; and whether his Department plans to approve a non-nasal covid-19 test such as the lollipop saliva test.

Maggie Throup: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating alternative testing options for people who cannot take a nasal COVID-19 test and awaiting the results from a number of LAMP or saliva-based testing pilots that are underway. The UKHSA will continue to review and evaluate the usability of emerging technologies.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the UK National Screening Committee on the potential merits of lowering the breast cancer screening age.

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of lowering the breast cancer screening age to help prevent the late diagnosis of breast cancer.

Maria Caulfield: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) awaits the publication of the Age Extension Trial before a recommendation can be made to the Department. The results of the AgeX trial will be critical to providing a better understanding of what the benefits and harms are for offering screening outside the recommended screening ages. Publication of the AgeX trial is expected in 2026.The UK NSC is in contact with the researchers and will be able to review the findings as soon as they are available. Any changes to national screening policy are made on the basis of robust evidence where the benefit to screen outweighs the harms.

Dental Services: South East

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the funding announced on the NHS England website on 25 January 2022 on securing additional dental appointments for people with oral pain, disease, and infection, how many of those additional NHS appointments he estimates will be in (a) the Brighton and Hove CCG area and (b) the South East region.

Maria Caulfield: No regional estimates have been made.£6,887,000 was allocated to the South East. National Health Service regional teams are currently working to commission this additional activity and the scheme has been developed to be attractive to dentists, with those involved in the scheme to be paid more than a third on top of their normal sessional fee for delivering this care outside of core hours, such as early morning and weekend work.

Dental Services

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of the unit of dental activity system for dentistry.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the Government's plans for reform of the contract for NHS dentistry.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of using Units of Dental Activity (UDA) as a metric for NHS dentistry contracts.

Maria Caulfield: NHS England are developing proposals for dental system reform, working with the Department and stakeholders, such as the British Dental Association. Our aims for reform include proposals to improve patient access, reduce health inequalities and make the National Health Service a more attractive place to work for dentists. The reform of the 2006 NHS dental contract, including payment by units of dental activity, is included alongside alternative types of contractual arrangements form part of this work.

Visual Impairment: Technology

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made made of the potential merits of providing microchip implants through the NHS for patients with visual impairments.

Maria Caulfield: Interventional procedures guidance published by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the insertion of a subretinal prosthesis system (surgically implanting a microchip behind the retina) for retinitis pigmentosa recommends that this procedure should only be used in the context of research, due to limited evidence on its safety and efficacy.

Hospitals: Children

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to UKSHA data showing increasing hospitalisations  among children with covid-19, if he will urgently publish (a) data on the primary cause of those hospitalisations and (b) the proportion of cases where covid-19 was the primary cause of the hospitalisation.

Maggie Throup: The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) does not collect data on the causes of increasing hospitalisation rates among children with COVID-19, and there are no plans for the publication of data on the primary cause of these hospitalisations.The UKHSA collects data on the number of cases for which COVID-19 was the reason for hospitalisation in all age groups, including children, through the Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Watch surveillance system. This data is not currently validated, however the UKHSA is considering including this data in future published reports as percentage figures (proportions).

Surgery: Waiting Lists

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that people who are waiting for elective surgeries and are without access to the internet are able to receive support from My Planned Care.

Edward Argar: While My Planned Care is a web-based platform, clinicians will be able to access the platform and utilise its insights on behalf of patients. In addition, patients will continue to be supported through non-digital means by National Health Service staff in primary care and secondary care, when referred for consultant-led treatments. This includes letters, telephone calls or in-person meetings, which act as an alternative way to get support and information on waiting times.

Palliative Care

Tom Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on end of life patients of NICE’s proposed severity modifier being introduced in a opportunity cost neutral package.

Edward Argar: Analysis carried out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the development of the modifier indicates that the vast majority of medicines previously eligible for the end of life modifier, will also be eligible for a weighting under the severity modifier.A severity modifier reflects evidence that society values health benefits for severe conditions more highly and will apply to a broad range of conditions, including end of life.

IVF

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle variation in access to IVF treatment throughout the country.

Maria Caulfield: We expect local National Health Service bodies to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines to ensure equitable access in England. The Department undertook a policy review about the variation in access to NHS fertility services, which was completed in 2021. The results of this review will inform the Women’s Health Strategy, which is due to be published in spring 2022.

Breast Cancer: Research

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has (a) commissioned research on and (b) allocated funding to research on Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Asylum

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of asylum children who live in hotel accommodation who have been referred to specialist care for serious mental health problems.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Children

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who live in insecure housing who have been referred to specialist care for serious mental health problems.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: USA

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a report of the Bilateral Scientific Summit; and if he will provide additional resources to support the UK’s role in any new UK-US shared plan for action resulting from that Summit.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21, Paragraph 212, how much of the £8.7 billion loss to the public purse on (a) items not suitable for any use, (b) items not suitable for use in the NHS, (c) changes in market price and (d) excess stock was borne as a result of contracts which were awarded via the high priority lane.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Randox Laboratories: Contracts

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the request from the Cabinet Office of 25 September 2020, contained on pages 38-39 of the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, 17 November 2021, HC1072, that his Department initiate a competitive process in time for new contracts to be let from March 2021, whether a competitive tendering process for covid-19 procurement had been initiated by that date.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Chemicals: Regulation

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to revoke EU Commission Regulation 2017/542 of 22 March 2017, amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, named as Annex VIII to CLP, copied from EU law into UK law which governs poison centre notification requirements for hazardous chemical mixtures.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hospitals: Admissions

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been admitted to NHS hospitals from private hospitals in each of the last 30 months.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason covid-19 restrictions have been eased in the context of high infection rates of covid-19.

Maggie Throup: The vaccination and booster programme has succeeded in reducing the risk of severe infection and hospitalisations, easing pressure on the National Health Service. Hospital admissions have stabilised and the number of people in intensive care units with COVID-19 continues to fall.

Members: Correspondence

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to correspondence of 21 October 2021 and follow up emails of 22 November 2021 and 6 January 2022 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay regarding a constituent, reference JB34743.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Incontinence: Health Services

Ed Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what policy framework is guiding NHS (a) performance and (b) quality improvement for continence services.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Leader of the House

House of Commons: Young People

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Leader of the House, what steps he is taking to improve engagement with young people with the work of the House.

Mark Spencer: I look forward to continuing the work of my predecessor in encouraging the engagement of young people with Parliament. I would welcome suggestions from hon. and rt. hon. members across the House on how we can engage young people and encourage democratic engagement. More widely, the UK Parliament’s Education and Engagement Team supports a variety of work to promote public engagement with the House. I am pleased that the Education Centre has now reopened and that tours can take place once again.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister: Photographs

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Prime Minister, what the cost to the public purse is of the No. 10 Downing Street photographer.

Boris Johnson: It has been the case under successive governments that civil servants and special advisers provide assistance on communications. We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government. It is already in the public domain that there is a cross-Government resource, who document the work of government in this regard. Some information can be found in the Annual report on Special Advisers published on gov.uk. The salary of a non-Senior Civil Service member is their personal information and would not be appropriate to release under data protection provisions.

10 Downing Street: Official Hospitality

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the official receptions held at 10 Downing Street in the financial years (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22.

Boris Johnson: I refer the Hon. Member to the published Cabinet Office transparency returns available on the gov.uk website. Cabinet Office: ministers' transparency publications - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Vladimir Putin

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Prime Minister, for what reason the telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 31 January 2022 was cancelled.

Boris Johnson: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to the Hon Member for Lewisham East during my oral statement. The call was rescheduled for 2 February. A readout from the call is available on the gov.uk website.

Prime Minister: Powers

Mhairi Black: To ask the Prime Minister, what powers the proposed Office of the Prime Minister will have.

Mhairi Black: To ask the Prime Minister, whether the proposed Office of the Prime Minister will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Mhairi Black: To ask the Prime Minister, how the proposed Office of the Prime Minister will work with the devolved Administrations.

Mhairi Black: To ask the Prime Minister, what steps the proposed Office of the Prime Minister will take to coordinate and liaise with the devolved Administrations.

Mhairi Black: To ask the Prime Minister, what processes will be put in place to ensure coordination between the proposed Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office during periods of national crisis.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Prime Minister, what the differences will be between the new Office of the Prime Minister and the existing Prime Minister's Office.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Prime Minister, what the differences will be between the new Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office.

Boris Johnson: I refer the Hon. Member to my answer given to 114642.

Ministry of Justice

Courts and Tribunals: Closures

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the courts and tribunals that his Department has closed in England and Wales since 2010.

James Cartlidge: The table below provides a list of all courts and tribunals which have closed since 2010. The table does not include integrations, which involve the movement of or merging of services into another existing HMCTS location in the same local area.The decision to close any court is not taken lightly, it only happens following full public consultation and only when effective access to justice can be maintained. Courts that have closed were either underused, dilapidated or too close to one another.Court or Tribunal closed since 2010Aberdare County CourtAberdare Magistrates' CourtAbergavenny Magistrates' CourtAbertillery Magistrates' CourtAccrington County CourtAccrington Magistrates' CourtActon Magistrates' CourtAlnwick Magistrates' CourtAlton Magistrates' CourtAmersham Magistrates' CourtAmmanford Magistrates' CourtAndover Magistrates' CourtAshford County CourtAshford Magistrates' CourtAylesbury Magistrates' and County CourtBalham Youth Court Magistrates'Banbury Magistrates’ and County CourtBarking & Dagenham Magistrates' CourtBarnstaple Magistrates' and County Court (Crown part only)Barry Magistrates' CourtBasildon Acorn House - Basildon TribunalBatley & Dewsbury Magistrates' CourtBicester Magistrates' CourtBingley (Keighley) Magistrates' CourtBirmingham Magistrates' Youth CourtBishop Auckland County CourtBishop Auckland Magistrates' CourtBlackfriars Crown CourtBlandford Forum Magistrates' CourtBlaydon Magistrates' CourtBolton Combined Court Centre (County Part Only)Bournemouth Magistrates' CourtBow County CourtBracknell Magistrates' CourtBrecon Law Courts Magistrates’Brentford Magistrates' CourtBridgend Law Courts Magistrates'Bridgwater Magistrates' CourtBurton Upon Trent County CourtBurton upon Trent Magistrates' CourtBury Magistrates' & County CourtBury St Edmunds Crown & Magistrates' CourtBuxton Magistrates' & County CourtCaerphilly Magistrates' CourtCamberwell Green Magistrates' CourtCamborne Magistrates' CourtCardigan Magistrates' CourtCarmarthen Law Courts (The Guildhall) Magistrates' CourtCheltenham County CourtCheltenham Rivershill House - Cheltenham TribunalChepstow County CourtChepstow Magistrates' CourtChichester Combined CourtChichester Magistrates' CourtChippenham Magistrates' & Civil CourtChorley County CourtChorley Magistrates' CourtCirencester Magistrates' CourtCoalville Magistrates' CourtColchester County CourtColeford Magistrates' CourtConsett County CourtConsett Magistrates' CourtCorby Magistrates' CourtCromer Magistrates' CourtDartford Magistrates' CourtDaventry Magistrates' CourtDenbigh Magistrates' CourtDewsbury County CourtDidcot Magistrates' CourtDolgellau Crown & Magistrates' CourtDorchester Crown Court (Weymouth & Dorchester Combined)Dover Magistrates' CourtEastbourne Magistrates' & County CourtEly Magistrates' CourtEpping Magistrates' CourtEpsom County CourtEpsom Magistrates' CourtEpsom TribunalEvesham County CourtFareham Magistrates' CourtFeltham Magistrates' CourtFleetwood Magistrates' CourtFlint Magistrates' CourtFrome Magistrates' CourtGloucester Magistrates' CourtGoole County CourtGoole Magistrates' CourtGosforth Magistrates' CourtGrantham County CourtGrantham Magistrates' CourtGravesend County CourtGrays Magistrates' CourtGreenwich Magistrates' CourtGuisborough (East Langbaurgh) Magistrates' CourtHalesowen Magistrates' CourtHalifax County CourtHalifax Magistrates' Court (Calderdale)Hammersmith Magistrates' and County Court (County Court Only)Hammersmith Magistrates' CourtHaringey Magistrates' CourtHarlow County CourtHarlow Magistrates' CourtHarrow Magistrates' CourtHartlepool Magistrates' & County CourtHaywards Heath County CourtHemel Hempstead Magistrates' CourtHinckley Magistrates' CourtHitchin County CourtHolyhead Magistrates' CourtHoniton Magistrates' CourtHoughton-Le-Spring Magistrates' CourtHuntingdon County CourtIlford County CourtIlkeston Magistrates' CourtKeighley County CourtKendal Magistrates' & County CourtKettering County CourtKettering Magistrates' CourtKidderminster County CourtKing's Lynn County CourtKingston-upon-Thames Magistrates' CourtKnowsley Magistrates' CourtKnutsford Crown CourtLambeth County CourtLewes Magistrates' CourtLiskeard Magistrates' CourtLlandovery Magistrates' CourtLlangefni Civil and Family CourtLlangefni Magistrates' CourtLlwynypia Magistrates' CourtLowestoft County CourtLowestoft Magistrates' CourtLudlow County CourtLudlow Magistrates' CourtLyndhurst Magistrates' CourtMacclesfield County CourtMacclesfield Magistrates' CourtMaidenhead Magistrates' CourtMarket Drayton Magistrates' CourtMarket Harborough Magistrates' CourtMelton Mowbray County CourtMelton Mowbray Magistrates' CourtMid-Sussex (Haywards Heath) Magistrates' CourtMorpeth & Berwick County CourtNeath and Port Talbot Civil and Family CourtNeath Magistrates' CourtNewark County CourtNewark Magistrates' CourtNewbury County CourtNorth Liverpool Community Justice CentreNorthallerton Magistrates' CourtNorthwich County CourtNorthwich Magistrates' CourtOldham County CourtOldham Magistrates' CourtOrmskirk Magistrates' CourtOswestry County CourtOswestry Magistrates' CourtPenrith County CourtPenrith Magistrates' CourtPenzance County CourtPenzance Magistrates' CourtPocock Street Tribunals Hearing CentrePontefract County CourtPontefract Magistrates' CourtPontypool County CourtPontypridd Magistrates' CourtPoole County CourtPrestatyn Magistrates' CourtPwllheli Magistrates' CourtRawtenstall County CourtRawtenstall Magistrates' CourtRedditch County CourtRedhill Magistrates' & Reigate County CourtRetford Magistrates' CourtRhyl County CourtRichmond upon Thames Magistrates' CourtRochdale Magistrates' CourtRotherham Magistrates' & County CourtRugby County CourtRugby Magistrates' CourtRuncorn (Halton) Magistrates' CourtRuncorn County CourtRutland Magistrates' CourtSalford County CourtSalford Magistrates' Court (FPC)Sandwell Magistrates' CourtScunthorpe Magistrates' & County CourtSelby Magistrates' CourtShrewsbury County CourtShrewsbury Magistrates' CourtSittingbourne Magistrates' CourtSkegness County CourtSkegness Magistrates' CourtSolihull Magistrates' CourtSouthport (North Sefton) Magistrates' CourtSouthport County CourtSpalding Magistrates' CourtSt Albans Crown & County Court (County part only)St Helens Magistrates' CourtStafford Magistrates' CourtStoke on Trent Magistrates' CourtStourbridge County CourtStratford Upon Avon County CourtStroud Magistrates' CourtSudbury Magistrates' CourtSutton Coldfield Magistrates' CourtSutton Magistrates' CourtSwaffham Magistrates' CourtTameside Magistrates' & County Court (County part only)Tamworth County CourtTamworth Magistrates' CourtThetford Magistrates' CourtTorquay Magistrates' CourtTotnes Magistrates' CourtTottenham Magistrates' CourtTowcester Magistrates' CourtTower Bridge Magistrates' CourtTrafford Magistrates' Court & Altrincham County CourtTrowbridge County CourtTunbridge Wells County CourtTynedale (Hexham) Magistrates' CourtWakefield & Pontefract Magistrates' CourtWaltham Forest Magistrates' CourtWantage Magistrates' CourtWarrington Combined Court (County Part Only)Watford Magistrates' CourtWellingborough County CourtWest Berkshire Magistrates' Court (Newbury)West Bromwich Magistrates' CourtWeston Super Mare Magistrates' CourtWhitehaven County CourtWhitehaven Magistrates' CourtWimborne Magistrates' CourtWisbech Magistrates' CourtWitney Magistrates' CourtWoking Magistrates' CourtWoolwich County CourtWoolwich Magistrates' CourtWorksop County CourtWorksop Magistrates' CourtWrexham Rhyd Broughton - Wrexham TribunalYate Magistrates' Court (North Avon) Between 1997 and 2009, 125 magistrates’ courts and 24 county courts were closed. In October 2009 the closure of one more county court was announced, and a consultation was published on the closure of 20 magistrates’ courts and one county court.

Courts

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to increase judicial capacity, to meet the Government’s policy of unlimited judicial sitting days.

James Cartlidge: The Lord Chancellor agreed with the Lord Chief Justice that there should be no limit on sitting days in the Crown Court in 2021/22. Collectively, MoJ and the judiciary have taken and are taking action to increase judicial capacity across all jurisdictions:continuing with a high volume of judicial recruitment, with a recruitment programme of about 1000 judges in 2021/22 and 1100 in 2022/23;aiming to recruit 4,000 new magistrates over the next few years. MoJ has invested over £1million to realise this ambition with a new, streamlined recruitment process which was launched in January 2022;encouraging fee paid judges to sit where they are able and needed, in line with terms of appointment, with a particular focus on Recorders;all Recorders will now be able to sit up to 80 days without a separate business justification being agreed and all are being contacted to advise them of this;where there is a business justification, we have raised the maximum number of days a Recorder or DDJ can sit to 180;legislating to raise the statutory mandatory retirement age (MRA) to 75 for judicial office holders, which could retain an extra 400 judges and 2000 magistrates per year, compared to an MRA of 70;providing for the reinstatement of retired magistrates below the new MRA where there is a business need;legislating so that the ability to sit in retirement is extended to fee-paid judges, which provides additional flexibility; andbefore the proposed new MRA takes effect, where there is a business need, approving the extension of judges’ appointments past their compulsory retirement date.

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to conduct an evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the expansion of powers under s28 Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

James Cartlidge: Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 gives victims the opportunity to have their cross-examination pre-recorded, without the ordeal of having to take part in a live trial, subject to judicial discretion.We are looking at data from the pilots and working with partners to understand the operational changes we need to make to proceed with our plan to rollout of s.28 for victims of sexual and modern slavery offences in all Crown Courts.This autumn, we aim to publish the results of a process evaluation conducted with victims and criminal justice practitioners who have used this provision.

Custody: Females

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the accommodation needs of women on remand who may not have access to housing support under the probation service.

Kit Malthouse: We know women released from prison face significant barriers to securing suitable accommodation and that earlier support, whilst they are on remand, to find accommodation can help.Women on remand are supported to meet their immediate resettlement needs and prepare for release by probation pre-release staff in prisons. We have committed to supplementing the existing support from probation staff with access to specialist accommodation, finance and debt support for all women on remand or sentenced in custody. We aim to have commenced this additional provision by the summer of this year.In 2021, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) introduced Housing Specialists in twenty prisons, including four women’s prisons namely HMP Styal, Bronzefield, Peterborough and New Hall. The role of these specialists is to support prisons and probation in their strategic response to reducing homelessness. This includes working in partnership internally across HMPPS and externally with Local Authorities, Police and Crime Commissioners and organisations contracted to provide specialist support, to develop or strengthen accommodation pathways on release from prison. We have committed to increase the number of Housing Specialists to 48 across England and Wales, including across the women’s estate.

Criminal Proceedings: Disclosure of Information

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an estimate of the funding required to make the structural improvements to data infrastructure and management across the criminal justice system recommended by the National Audit Office in its report entitled Reducing the backlog in the criminal courts.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish details of spending to improve the data infrastructure of the courts service as part of the Reform Programme up to 7 February 2022.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish details of his Department's funding allocations for the next three financial years to improve the data infrastructure of the courts service as a result of the Ministry of Justice's Spending Review 2021 Settlement.

James Cartlidge: It is estimated that £12m implementation costs will be required in total to fund the published HMCTS Data Strategy. Of that £12m total, approximately £5m is forecast to be spent in the current financial year ending 31 March 2022. During the financial year to date, approximately £1.8m has been spent on the construction of a secure data platform to contain and ingest all data relating to court cases, approximately £0.4m on measurement development, and approximately £1.9m on reference data identification and reporting capability. Following the completion of the 2021 Spending Review, the detailed allocation of funding to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) for 2022/23 is still being finalised. This will be concluded in line with the concordat agreement between the Lord Chancellor and the senior judiciary, under which the funding allocation for HMCTS is set each year.

Criminal Proceedings

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) mean and (b) median time was from offence to completion for cases of (i) violence against the person, (ii) robbery and (iii) theft offences in each of the last five years.

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) mean and (b) median time was from offence to completion for cases of (i) criminal damage and arson, (ii) drug offences and (iii) possession of weapons in the last 12 months in each of the last five years.

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) mean and (b) median time was from offence to completion for cases of (i) public order offences and (ii) fraud in each of the last five years.

James Cartlidge: Below we have provided data on timeliness for the offence types requested. The data shows the median and mean duration (in days) of those cases from receipt at Crown Court to completion. The Ministry of Justice does not have data on end-to-end timeliness from offence to completion broken down by offence type.The data for each calendar year includes the figures up to 31st December of that year. For 2021, we can only provide that data up to the end of Q3 (September) which is the latest published data available.This data is published as experimental statistics as part of the Criminal Court Statistics publication: Pivot table for average timeliness (days) from receipt to completion of defendants dealt with in cases disposed of in the Crown Court by case type, offence, plea and region. The data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2021. Receipt to completion in days Violence against the person Robbery MeanMedianMeanMedian201618815717315120171781521561392018173154156143201916314515814120201681361701482021 (to September)229178251207 Receipt to completion in days TheftCriminal damage and arson  MeanMedianMeanMedian2016129821651362017116681691372018113691591282019110651511262020124791641272021 (to September)164107216166 Receipt to completion in days Drug OffencesPossession of weapons  MeanMedianMeanMedian2016155991491082017144881371002018147971319020191338012079202014593140922021 (to September)186120189122 Receipt to completion in days Public Order offencesFraud  MeanMedianMeanMedian2016181134233153201715611321813320181561062171452019133842091162020136822011162021 (to September)176106253141

Criminal Proceedings: Disclosure of Information

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 3.18 of the National Audit Office Report, Reducing the backlog in the criminal courts, what steps his Department has taken to quantify the costs of structural improvements to data infrastructure and management across the criminal justice system; and if he will publish that analysis.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure improvements to data flow across the criminal justice system.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress the Criminal Justice Action Group has made on improving the joining up of data across the justice system.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Justice is committed to improvements in data flow across the criminal justice system, including progressing this work through the Criminal Justice Action Group, and we are exploring funding settlements to achieve this. Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, made this clear in the ‘Reducing the backlog in criminal courts’ meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on 13th December of last year, by confirming that data is a priority and that she would expect money to be allocated to data join-up. We can confirm that departmental allocations are still ongoing and that these will be agreed between the Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary ahead of the new financial year.

Employment: Pregnancy

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many employment tribunal cases related to alleged discrimination against new and expectant mothers were lodged in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.

James Cartlidge: The number of employment tribunal claims alleging discrimination against new and expectant mothers can be found in the Main Tables under Total number of receipts by jurisdiction on the Statistic Quarterly pages here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

Asylum: Legal Opinion

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for legal assistance were made by asylum applicants during the first instance procedure in 2021.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests were made for legal assistance by asylum applicants in relation to their initial asylum application in 2021.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for legal assistance by asylum applicants during the first instance procedure in 2021 resulted in a grant of legal assistance.

James Cartlidge: Information about the total number of requests for this type of legal assistance is not held. Such assistance, where provided by legal aid, is funded under the ‘Legal Help’ scheme. Decisions about eligibility for this form of services are delegated to legal aid providers. As such applications are not made directly to the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). Consequently, the LAA does not hold data regarding overall volumes of requests for assistance or the number of requests for assistance that are refused. Some information regarding overall volumes of immigration and asylum cases funded under Legal Help is published in the LAA’s official statistics at table 5.1-5.3. The statistics can be accessed via the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-july-to-september-2021.

Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Abuse

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of support provided through the legal aid system for victims of domestic abuse in Newport West constituency.

James Cartlidge: Access to justice is a fundamental right and this Government is committed to ensuring that everyone gets the timely support they need, including legal aid, to navigate the justice system.The Government is clear that victims of domestic abuse must have access to the help that they need.The Ministry of Justice has provided just under £151m to victim support services this year (2021/22), which is an increase of over £100m on the budget in 2010/11. This includes an extra £51m to increase support for rape and domestic abuse victims, building on the emergency funding to help domestic abuse and sexual violence services meet COVID-driven demand.We are currently conducting a review of the means test for legal aid, and this is specifically considering domestic abuse victims. We plan to publish this consultation shortly. We have also widened the evidence requirements for domestic abuse victims, making it easier for victims to obtain and provide the evidence they need to access legal aid and removed all time limits for providing evidence. We have legislated so that GPs can no longer charge for providing evidence.We have already made some further changes to improve access to legal aid by removing the cap on the amount of mortgage debt used in determining access to civil legal aid.

Criminal Proceedings: Newport West

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps he has taken to increase public confidence in the criminal justice system in Newport West constituency.

James Cartlidge: The overall changes we are making to improve the criminal justice system are designed to give all communities increased confidence. This includes recruiting 20,000 extra police officers, improving handovers between agencies, and addressing the backlog through our Court Recovery Plan. We are increasing the transparency of the criminal justice system by publishing quarterly scorecards detailing national and regional performance. The first national scorecards were published in December 2021 and the next publication in early 2022 will include local scorecards for the first time. In Wales, the Criminal Justice Board for Wales continues to bring together key partners to drive forward the recovery effort, prioritising the needs of victims and witnesses, the needs of those who have offended, early intervention and prevention and race equality in Wales.

Coronavirus: Crime

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were fined for breaching laws related to the covid-19 pandemic in England in each month from March 2020 to February 2022.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Justice has published quarterly information on the number of people fined in England for breaching laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic up to December 2020; a monthly breakdown of this can be viewed in the attached table.   The attached table presents the number of fines for the following detailed offences: - Failure to comply with screening restriction/requirement (coronavirus)- Operator of Port fails to comply with direction under Coronavirus Act 2020- Offences by potentially infectious persons (coronavirus)- Breach of emergency period restrictions (coronavirus)- Offences in relation to events and gatherings (coronavirus) National statistics on detailed offence level prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes for 2021 are due for publication in May 2022. These statistics for 2022 are due for subsequent publication in May 2023.117003_table (xlsx, 18.7KB)

Motor Vehicles: Crime

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department holds on the awarding of compensation to victims of vehicle crime by criminal courts.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Justice has published information on prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes for vehicle offences, including the number and amount of compensation orders imposed by the courts, in England and Wales, up to December 2020, available in the ‘Outcomes by Offence’ data tool, available here:  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/987715/outcomes-by-offence-2020.xlsx.To find the number and amount of compensation orders issued by the courts, follow the steps below:Type phrases such as ‘vehicle’ and ‘driving’ into the ‘offence’ filter. To see the full list of offences available in the data tool, see the full offence group classification, here.Select the specific vehicle offences you are looking for from the drop-down list.The number of all compensation orders issued, on a principal disposal basis, can be found on row 94.The amount of compensation can be found on rows 95 to 105The average amount of compensation issued can be found on row 93. It is important to note that the figures presented in this data tool are on a principal disposal basis - i.e. reporting the most severe sentence for the principal offence; therefore it is likely that, for more serious offences such as ‘37.1 Causing Death by Aggravated Vehicle Taking (MOT)’, there will be a more serious disposal issued.

Treasury

Agency Workers: National Insurance Contributions

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of increased National Insurance Contributions on people who are employed under umbrella companies.

Lucy Frazer: From April 2022, all liable employees, including individuals employed through an umbrella company, will pay the 1.25 percentage point increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs). From April 2023, a new Health and Social Care levy will apply and the NICs rates will reduce by 1.25 percentage points. The highest earning 15 per cent will pay over half the revenue generated. 6.1 million people earning less than the Primary Threshold (equivalent to £9,880 a year in 2022-23) will not pay the Levy.

UK Trade with EU

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the cost to businesses in the UK of leaving the EU VAT area.

Lucy Frazer: As with all new tax measures, the Government includes its assessment of the impacts of the changes in Tax Information and Impact Notes. Notes for measures legislated for in the Taxation (Post-transition Period) Act were published alongside that legislation.

Customs: Costs

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis been conducted into the increased administrative cost of new customs checks for exporters and importers since 1 January 2022; what data the Government holds on the additional costs incurred for those businesses.

Lucy Frazer: HMRC recognises these are significant changes for businesses and has worked closely with industry and business in implementing the changes and providing extensive support to adjust to the changes in their customs obligations. HMRC continues to support businesses now that these changes have come into force. This includes guidance products, daily calls with the border industry, direct mailshots, e-mails, UK and EU facing webinars, and ‘how to’ videos. Through the SME Brexit Support Fund and the Intermediaries Grant, the Government has made over £100 million available to help businesses adapt to the new rules. To assist businesses to get help with making declarations, HMRC has created a customs intermediary register on GOV.UK to help traders find an intermediary appropriate to their needs. The register lists around 1500 intermediaries, whether they are taking on new clients, and the services they provide. HMRC has also increased its 24/7 support for businesses who need help with customs processes for goods moving across the border. A robust support and resolution process is also in place to ensure the smooth flow of goods in the event of any disruption, congestion, or other issues affecting customs controls.

Tax Avoidance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total revenue generated by the Loan Charge during its lifespan.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will become bankrupt as a result of the Loan Charge.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what legal basis HMRC pursues employees and not employers for the use of loan schemes.

Lucy Frazer: The Loan Charge was announced at Budget 2016 as part of a package of measures to tackle Disguised Remuneration (DR) tax avoidance. The forecast was last revised at Spring Budget 2021, with the latest estimated overall Exchequer yield of £3.3 billion for the entire package, which includes the Loan Charge. In September 2019, the Government commissioned an Independent Review into the Loan Charge, led by Lord Morse. The Government accepted 19 of the 20 recommendations made by the review. Changes to the Loan Charge were estimated to reduce the forecast yield. At Budget 2020, the changes were costed as a separate measure, with an estimated reduction to the Exchequer yield of £745 million. No estimate can be provided for the number of people who have fallen into debt or who have been declared bankrupt that are subject to the Loan Charge. Where debts arise, HMRC are not always the only creditor. Some individuals are declared bankrupt as a result of a non-HMRC debt and some individuals may choose to enter insolvency themselves based on their overall financial position. HMRC only ever considers insolvency as a last resort, and they encourage taxpayers to get in contact to agree the best way to settle their tax debts. To date, HMRC has not initiated insolvency proceedings against any taxpayer for a Loan Charge debt. HMRC will go to the employer to settle the tax due or collect the Loan Charge in the first instance. Approximately 80 per cent of the £3.3 billion HMRC has brought into charge through DR settlements between Budget 2016 and the end of March 2021 has been from employers. However, HMRC will consider other options to collect the tax where collection from the employer is not possible, such as when the employer no longer exists or is based offshore. Liability for the tax is always that of the individual. Parliament has provided a range of powers allowing HMRC, in certain circumstances, to collect the amount due from the employee.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to address the delays in HMRC responding to correspondence from small businesses and accountants.

Lucy Frazer: HMRC performance has been challenging this year as the country emerges from the pandemic, and performance on answering customer correspondence is not where HMRC would like it to be. HMRC has put measures in place to improve the position on answering correspondence and return it to pre-pandemic levels. Through those measures, they expect to have recovered the correspondence position by the start of the new financial year, so that by April they will be delivering normal, pre-pandemic, performance.

Beer and Public Houses: Government Assistance

Damien Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional financial support for the pub and brewery sector; and whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of reducing (a) business rates and (b) VAT for those sectors.

Helen Whately: The Government is committed to supporting the pub and brewery sector.As announced at Autumn Budget, the duty rates on alcohol, including beer, will be frozen for another year. This is expected to save consumers £3 billion over the next six years and will save beer drinkers £900 million. Beer duty rates are now at their lowest level in real terms since the 1990s. The Government also announced on 1 October 2021 a new reduced rate of 12.5% would apply to eligible goods and services in the tourism and hospitality sector, to ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. This new rate will end on 31 March 2022. While the Government is sympathetic to recovering businesses, this relief has cost over £8 billion. It is appropriate that temporary tax reliefs are first reduced and then removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances. On business rates, the Government is providing a new temporary relief worth almost £1.7 billion for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, resulting in over 90% of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses receiving at least a 50% reduction in their business rates bills in 2022-23. The Government has also announced the multiplier will be frozen in 2022-23, a tax cut worth £4.6 billion over the next 5 years.

Plastics: Taxation

Ruth Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish representations made by the plastics industry on the appropriate definition of sufficient evidence of recycled content for the purposes of the plastic packaging tax.

Helen Whately: The summary of responses to the 2019 and 2020 consultations on the design of the tax can be found on GOV.UK. Following extensive consultation, detailed guidance has been published on GOV.UK to help businesses prepare for the tax. This includes guidance on evidence and record keeping.[[1]] HMRC will publish further guidance in advance of the tax coming in to force, which will prescribe what constitutes sufficient evidence of recycled content for the purposes of the tax.  [1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/record-keeping-and-accounts-for-plastic-packaging-tax

Energy Bill Discount Scheme

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the energy bill discount scheme prohibits consumers from switching suppliers.

Helen Whately: We are providing a £200 reduction in households’ energy bills from October which will benefit all domestic electricity customers in Great Britain to reduce pressure on energy bills this year when global gas prices are high. This reduction will be automatically recouped from people’s bills in equal instalments over the next five years, and we expect suppliers will reflect this as a standing charge on electricity bills, incorporated into their standard charging methodologies. The repayment will not be unique to individual energy accounts. Customers will be able to switch energy providers in the usual way with no additional complications. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will work closely with industry and consumer groups on how best to deliver this policy, including through a public consultation in the Spring.

Plastics: Taxation

Ruth Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy for HMRC to regard feedstocks which are the output of (a) pyrolysis or (b) gasification as recycled for the purpose of the plastic packaging tax.

Helen Whately: The Plastic Packaging Tax primary legislation, contained in Finance Act 2021, allows for recovered plastic from both mechanical and chemical recycling processes to contribute towards the 30% recycled plastic threshold for the purposes of the tax. Pyrolysis and gasification processes are a type of chemical recycling process. Therefore, feedstock outputs from these processes would be a source of recycled plastic for the purpose of the Plastic Packaging Tax. Claims about the recycled plastic outputs from these processes must be based on the actual recycled content in order to meet the requirements of the tax.

National Grid

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what projection his Department has made of the number of households on the electricity grid in Great Britain in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24, (c) 2024-25, (d) 2025-26, (e) 2027-28 and (f) 2028-29.

Helen Whately: Based on ONS Household projects, the number of domestic energy customers is expected to grow by around 200,000 per year up to 2029.

Business: Investment

Matt Vickers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to invest.

Helen Whately: Under the super-deduction, from April 2021 until the end of March 2023, companies can claim a 130% capital allowance on qualifying plant and machinery investments. It is the biggest two-year business tax cut in modern British history. At Budget, the Government announced that the temporary £1 million Annual Investment Allowance level would be extended until the end of March 2023. These measures provide more upfront support to help businesses across the UK invest and grow.

Energy Bill Discount Scheme

David Linden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his definition is of the word discount in the context of his announcement on 4 February 2022 of a £200 repayable sum to be deducted from domestic energy bills.

Helen Whately: This year, all domestic electricity customers will receive a discount on their bills worth £200. This is a reduction on the higher costs that many energy customers would otherwise face this year, with an unprecedented spike in international gas wholesale prices forcing an increase in the April 2022 price cap. This reduction will mean the effective average annual energy bill households face will fall from £1,971 to £1,771. The aim of the policy is to effectively spread the worst of the extra costs of this year’s energy price shock over time. Therefore, the cost of the discount will be automatically recouped from people’s bills interest-free over the next five years, to minimise the financial pressure on consumers. This reduction is also only one part of a wider package of measures to support households in 2022/23 – including the £150 non-repayable reduction in Council Tax bills for (English) households in Bands A-D, which will apply from April.

Energy Bill Discount Scheme

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount that a household of two people would receive from the energy bill discount scheme in 2022-23; what estimate he has made of the amount that they would pay in (a) 2022-23 and (b) in each of the next five years in respect of the increase in standing charge in the event that they subsequently split into two households of one person from the financial year 2023-24 onwards.

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how much a single household of four people in 2022-23 would receive from the Energy Bill Discount Scheme in that year; and if that household subsequently split into four households of one person each from financial year 2023-24 onward, how much they would be paying in that year and each subsequent year via the increase in standing charge.

Helen Whately: In recognition of the increase in energy costs and the impact this will have on households, the government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households. One element of this is the £200 reduction for every electricity customer in Great Britain delivered via their energy bill this autumn. We expect households will pay this back from 2023 – when energy prices are expected to be lower - through an increase to standing charges on their bills of around £40 per annum over five years. This approach is fiscally responsible while also helping customers manage the unprecedented increase in energy bills by spreading the increased costs of global prices over time. The policy will provide a significant reduction to bills this year whilst gas prices are at historic highs. There will be cases where changes in people’s personal circumstances at the time mean they may not directly be the recipient of the reduction, but still see increases in future bills. The government will look at these issues further through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring, but to spread the cost of the reduction as widely as possible, all domestic energy consumers are expected to contribute to future repayments.

Service Industries: Coronavirus

Matt Vickers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors recover from the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: In December, Government announced a £1bn package of support for businesses impacted by the Omicron variant. This included grants worth up to £6,000 for businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors. These measures are just the latest action we have taken to safeguard businesses and jobs and are in addition to:business rates relief meaning that the majority of businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will see a 75% reduction in their business rates bill across the entire financial year and a new 50% capped business rates relief next financial year;a 12.5% reduced rate of VAT for hospitality and tourism;access to finance for SMEs through the Recovery Loan Scheme to June; andBounce Back Loan repayment flexibility, with borrowers having the option to take a 6 month repayment holiday, three 6 month interest only periods or extend their loan to 10 years, which almost halves the monthly payment. Thanks to the Government’s decisive action to implement balanced and proportionate measures in response to the Omicron variant, Cabinet has decided to return to Plan A in England. This means the economy will get back to operating freely and businesses can recover more quickly.

Revenue and Customs: Portsmouth

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has for further economic regional development in Portsmouth following his Department’s announcement of 25 January 2022 that Portsmouth will become an HMRC strategic regional centre.

Mr Simon Clarke: As reflected in the announcement that Portsmouth will become the location for a new HMRC regional centre, the Government is committed to the success of the Portsmouth economy. For example, it was announced at Autumn Budget 2021 that Portsmouth had a successful Levelling Up Fund bid and would be given £20m to transform the visitor economy. Nearly £1m was also awarded towards the cost of building the John Jenkins Stadium, as part of the Community Ownership Fund. More widely, the South East has secured 11 successful bids for the £1.7bn first round of the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund, to improve infrastructure in everyday life. This is in addition to over 14,500 new affordable homes in the South East through Affordable Homes Programme Strategic Partnerships, and almost half a billion pounds’ investment in local roads maintenance funding in the South East between 2022-23 and 2024-25.

Chocolate and Sparkling Wines: Prices

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has done an assessment on the impact the 5.4 per cent rise in inflation crisis on the price of (a) chocolates, (b), flowers, (c) champagne and (d) sparkling wines.

John Glen: The Treasury has made no such assessment. The independent Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on prices for items in the inflation basket each month. The latest data can be found here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/previousReleases

Debts: Developing Countries

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in G7 countries on (a) strengthening and (b) extending the eligibility criteria for the Common Framework to assist debt restructuring for (i) Tonga, (ii) small island developing states and (iii) other climate vulnerable countries.

John Glen: Progress in implementing the Common Framework has been a regular feature in the Chancellor’s discussions in the G7 and G20. Recognising the need to advance existing requests for the Common Framework, in its October 2021 communique the G20 committed to step up its efforts to implement it in a timely, orderly and coordinated manner.73 of the world’s poorest countries, including Tonga and a number of other small island states and climate vulnerable countries, are currently eligible for the G20 and Paris Club’s Common Framework. The UK is open to options to strengthen and extend the Common Framework noting that any decisions would require agreement of the full G20. Countries that are ineligible for the Common Framework may still apply for a debt treatment from the Paris Club. The UK is a longstanding member of the Paris Club and has a strong record of working with international partners to assist countries on their road to longer-term debt sustainability.

UK Trade with EU

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the cost to businesses of the new trade checks which have been introduced as a result of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

John Glen: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement seeks to reduce the costs for traders of customs processes introduced following the end of the transition period with the EU. It supports efficient customs arrangements and ensures that goods originating in the EU or UK are not subject to tariffs. The Treasury has not prepared an economic Impact Assessment on the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and it does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy and public finances, as this is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The latest forecasts from the OBR were published alongside the Budget on 27 October 2021: https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-october-2021/ The OBR’s analysis used a range of external studies to predict the long term impact on UK GDP.

Developing Countries: Debts

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support low-income countries following the end of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.

John Glen: The UK has supported significant action on debt through the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). Preliminary estimates suggest the DSSI has suspended over $12.7 billion in debt service repayments due by the poorest countries in the world. The DSSI was designed as a short-term tool to address short-term financing needs. That is why the UK, along with the G20 and Paris Club, also agreed a new Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the DSSI, which aims to deliver a longer-term, more sustainable approach to dealing with debt vulnerabilities. This was a landmark achievement for the G20 and represents the first time that all G20 creditors and the Paris Club have committed to work together to coordinate debt treatments. Under the Common Framework, private sector creditors will also be expected to implement debt restructurings that are at least equivalent to those agreed by official creditors. The UK is fully committed to implementing the Common Framework in coordination with our international partners. This will support those countries who request a debt treatment in returning to a more fiscally sustainable path and support their development goals. The UK also continues to support low-income countries through the lending activities of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In October, the Chancellor committed to a new 1 billion loan of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) which provides zero-interest loans to low-income countries, taking the UK’s total commitment to the PRGT to SDR 5 billion.

UK Trade with EU

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the economic impact of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on businesses in the UK.

John Glen: The Treasury has not prepared an economic Impact Assessment on the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and it does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy and public finances, as this is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The latest forecasts from the OBR were published alongside the Budget on 27 October 2021: https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-october-2021/ The OBR’s analysis used a range of external studies to predict the long term impact on UK GDP.

Financial Services: Discrimination

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle age discrimination experienced by customers in their dealings with the financial services industry.

John Glen: The Government is strongly committed to tackling financial exclusion and discrimination and aims for everyone, whatever their background, age or income to be able to access useful and affordable financial products and services. The Government works closely with regulators and stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors to ensure that all consumers of financial services are appropriately protected. The Financial Services Act 2021 requires the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to consult on whether it should make rules providing that authorised persons owe a duty of care to consumers. The FCA published an initial consultation on 14 May 2021 proposing a new ‘Consumer Duty’, which seeks to clarify and raise expectations for the standard of care that should be provided by financial services firms to consumers. A subsequent consultation was published on 7 December 2021 and is currently ongoing. Prior to this, in February 2021, the FCA also published its finalised guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, setting out a number of best practices (https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/finalised-guidance/guidance-firms-fair-treatment-vulnerable-customers). This applies to all firms where the FCA Principles for Business apply, regardless of sector and in respect of the supply of products or services to retail customers. UK banks’ and building societies’ treatment of their customers is governed by the FCA in its Principles for Businesses. This includes a general requirement for firms to provide a prompt, efficient and fair service to all of their customers. The FCA’s Handbook requires firms to identify customers who exhibit characteristics of vulnerability, and to deal with such customers appropriately. This includes older people, the disabled, and those who may lack the capacity to manage their account on their own. In addition, like all service providers, banks and building societies are bound under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, in the way they deliver their services.

Council Tax: Rebates

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households that will receive support via the £144 million of discretionary funding for people not automatically eligible for the council tax rebate announced on the 3 February 2022, in total and broken down by those living in (a) council tax band E to H and (b) council tax bands A to D who are exempt from council tax.

Mr Simon Clarke: The government recognises that local authorities are best placed to determine who requires further support – that is why we are giving them the flexibility to determine how to target support within the £144m of discretionary funding. This is in addition to the 80% of households supported by the Council Tax Energy Rebate for council tax billpayers in bands A-D.

Public Sector

Matt Vickers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support public services.

Mr Simon Clarke: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 3 February to the Hon Member for Crewe and Nantwich: UIN 114989.

Public Expenditure

Matt Vickers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to manage the public finances effectively.

Mr Simon Clarke: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 3 February to the Hon Member for Crewe and Nantwich: UIN 114988.

Energy: Debts

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase funding to help households who have outstanding energy and electric debt.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices and is providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 including:o A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.o A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.o £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction. This is on top of wider support for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people this winter through the Warm Home Discount (which is being expanded by a third to 3m people and increased to £150), up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment and £25 per week Cold Weather Payment, which help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes. Our £500m Household Support Fund will also help vulnerable households with the costs of essentials over the winter. For consumers with existing debt with their energy supplier, the Government will explore how the rebate can lower their bills from October, while supporting their repayment plans, through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring. The Government is also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average, including through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.

Energy: Prices

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional financial support to households with prepayment meters in response to the energy price cap increase announced on 3 February 2022.

Mr Simon Clarke: The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices and is providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 including:o A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.o A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.o £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.Domestic energy customers will receive the discount regardless of the type of payment method. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will work closely with industry and consumer groups on how best to deliver this policy, including through a public consultation in the Spring. We have consulted on expanding the Warm Home Discount by almost a third from 2.2m to 3m vulnerable households and increasing the rebate value to £150 each year. The Government is also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average, including through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ukraine: British Nationals Abroad

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2022 to Question 113250 on Ukraine: British Nationals Abroad, by what means her Department has communicated with British citizens in Ukraine regarding the latest consular advice.

James Cleverly: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice provides information to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel. We have proactively encouraged British nationals to register their presence in Ukraine through an online form to receive the latest update. In addition we use digital advertising and travel advice alerts to signpost Travel Advice. Our Embassy in Ukraine is proactively communicating with British nationals through virtual town hall events.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Natural Disasters

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure the safety of residents of the Chagos Islands from natural disasters.

Amanda Milling: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration have contingency plans in place to handle natural disasters impacting the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Kashmir: Press Freedom

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Indian government on press freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Amanda Milling: We are closely monitoring recent reports from Kashmir, including the arrests of journalists. A free and independent media is an essential component of a functioning society, leading to greater stability and prosperity and we are clear on the importance of rights being respected. The UK remains committed to Media Freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world.We work closely with the Indian media, including by funding an annual South Asia Journalism Fellowship Programme under our flagship Chevening brand. In 2020 and 2021, we funded 17 fellows, including 7 from India.

Bangladesh: Rohingya

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Bangladeshi counterpart on (a) fires, (b) the murder of refugee leader Mr Mohammed Mohibullah in September 2021 and (c) the general security situation in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Amanda Milling: We are deeply saddened by the recent fires in Cox's Bazar camps. Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia, shared his condolences to those affected by the fire on 9 January. We provided immediate support to the UN to replenish destroyed stoves and cooking gas, and to rehabilitate camp infrastructure.We were also disturbed by the killing of local Rohingya leader, Mohib Ullah. Lord Ahmad sent condolences after his death in September. The UK provides support to UNHCR, who responded by increasing their staff presence in the camps after Mohib Ullah's murder to ensure vulnerable members of the community have access to protection and assistance services, including psychosocial support.Lord Ahmad visited the Rohingya camps on 16 November 2021 and stressed the need for better protection for those most vulnerable. We continue to engage with the Government of Bangladesh on the deteriorating security situation for the Rohingya in Cox's Bazar, especially with regards to the safety of women and girls who are living in constant fear of sexual assault, rape and abduction.

Developing Countries

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she plans to publish her International Development Strategy.

Amanda Milling: The Government will publish a new International Development Strategy this Spring, that will guide our work for the coming decade and beyond. It will align our development work with the aims and objectives of the Integrated Review.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many surplus vaccine doses the UK has shared with countries in need to date.

Amanda Milling: The UK has been a world leader in ensuring developing countries can access vaccines, through our early support to the COVAX scheme and commitment to donate surplus vaccines. Of the 32.2 million vaccines we have donated so far, 29.5 million vaccines have been delivered to countries in need. These vaccines have benefitted more than 30 countries. A further 2.6 million are with COVAX to be shipped to countries in the coming weeks.

China: Russia

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of renewed Chinese-Russian partnerships on (a) stability in the Asia/Pacific and (b) British interests in the Asia/Pacific.

Amanda Milling: We are monitoring China and Russia's activities in the Indo-Pacific region, including joint exercises. The UK is committed to deepening diplomatic, security and economic engagement across the Indo-Pacific in support of shared prosperity and regional stability. We are deepening and expanding our partnerships to promote free enterprise, freedom, democracy and good governance. We will continue to uphold the international rules and norms that underpin free trade, security and stability.

Tropical Diseases: Disease Control

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of (a) the effectiveness of her Department’s Accelerating the sustainable control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases programme and (b) the impact of ending that programme; and what plans she has for future support for neglected tropical diseases programmes.

Amanda Milling: The effectiveness of the Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases programme has recently been assessed in the Programme Completion Review. The programme scored A+, moderately exceeding expectations. The full results of the programme, including comparisons to original targets prior to the programme closure, will be published on the government development tracker (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk) by March 2022. UK support has reached hundreds of millions of people with preventative treatments and care for NTDs. We continue to invest in strengthening the health systems of countries affected by NTDs, and through our investments in research and development.

Land Mines: Bomb Disposal

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress she has made on reviewing future funding for mine action.

James Cleverly: The FCDO remains committed to continuing its support to mine action across the globe. The Global Mine Action Programme 3 (GMAP3) is due to begin in financial year 2022/23. We are working towards finalising funding and country allocations and will share plans as soon as this work is complete.

Terrorism: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2022 to Written Question 116031, whether the Government has a strategy to respond to the threat of a terrorist group launching a successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapon attack by 2030.

James Cleverly: I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given by the former Minister for the Middle East, North Africa and North America on 4 February.

Guinea-Bissau: Security

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support (a) security sector reform, (b) inclusive governance and (c) security against organised crime in Guinea-Bissau.

Vicky Ford: The UK remains committed to supporting democratic institutions in West Africa. We work closely with the international community, including through multilateral forums and regional bodies, to support Guinea-Bissau to tackle issues related to security, governance and organised crime. The UK will continue to support the leading role that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) plays in promoting regional stability, including in Guinea-Bissau.

Tropical Diseases: Research

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to support research into prevention, diagnostics, treatment and care of neglected tropical diseases; and what plans she has for future financial support for research into diseases for which there is no viable market.

Vicky Ford: FCDO funded research has helped deliver innovative technologies such as new diagnostics and treatments for NTDs, for example the first rapid diagnostic test as well as the first ever oral only drug to treat all stages of sleeping sickness. For many years, the UK Government through FCDO has supported a range of so-called Product Development Partnerships, which develop novel health technologies for diseases of poverty where commercial markets fail. The Department continues to fund the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, DNDi, as well as the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, FIND, both of which include products for Neglected Tropical Diseases. FCDO also supports applied research for Neglected Tropical Diseases through the Coalition for Operational Research on NTDs.Global health remains a priority for UK Official Development Assistance. We will invest in health systems strengthening through our support for the World Health Organisation (WHO), multi-country global funds and bilateral support for health programmes within countries, including those affected by NTDs. The UK fully endorses the WHO's 2030 NTDs Road map and its focus on sustainability and delivery through health systems.

Leprosy: Research

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK funding allocated to research on ending leprosy; and what future plans she has to support leprosy research.

Vicky Ford: The FCDO-funded Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD) programme is a research platform which commissions multiple studies to improve the effectiveness of programmes to control and eliminate NTDs, including leprosy.The results of this research are expected to define best practices of NTD control for uptake by NTD programmes and governments in affected countries and around the world, ultimately reducing the suffering caused by NTDs and securing a healthier future in which the world's poorest are free from the threat of these diseases.

Afghanistan: Humanitarian Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much of the £286 million committed by the Government for humanitarian assistance and support has been disbursed to date.

James Cleverly: We have doubled our humanitarian and development assistance for Afghanistan for 2021/2022 taking this up to £286 million. To date, we have disbursed over £176 million - £166 million for life-saving humanitarian support inside Afghanistan, including for emergency food, health, nutrition, shelter, water and sanitation, and mine action, and £10 million in neighbouring countries to support new and existing refugees and host communities as part of the Government's efforts to support regional stability. We are working at pace to allocate the remaining funding in response to the developing crisis and the new UN Appeal.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Staff

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure her Department has a gender balance in its staffing.

Amanda Milling: When the FCDO was created we were clear about our ambition to be a truly inclusive organisation. We want the FCDO to fully reflect the diversity of the UK population we serve. As of 30 September 2021 51.8 per cent of FCDO staff are female. A key objective of the new department is to ensure that our aligned policies both support and promote gender equity. More broadly, the FCDO is committed to widening representation for under-represented groups, including women, and building an inclusive workplace to attract, engage, develop and retain talented, diverse staff.The FCDO has also made significant progress over the last year. Women now make up over 30% of all Heads of Missions and 42% of all senior civil servant roles are filled by women. Of the Heads of Mission roles in our top 26 diplomatic missions, 18 are filled by women, including in Berlin, Tokyo and Washington.

Afghanistan: British Nationals Abroad

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent UK nationals remaining in Afghanistan after the end of Operation Pitting from dying as a result of the famine in that country.

James Cleverly: Since 28 August 2021 the British Embassy in Kabul has suspended in-country operations. We encourage all British nationals in Afghanistan to check Travel Advice and confirm their presence on the online registration system. British nationals in Afghanistan can continue to access 24 hour consular assistance by phone.The UK remains fully committed to supporting Afghanistan and its people. We have already announced a doubling of our humanitarian aid and development assistance commitment to Afghanistan, to £286 million. We have now disbursed over £176 million which will support over 6.1 million people in Afghanistan and the region, providing emergency food, health, shelter, water and protection. We are working at pace to allocate the remaining funding in response to the crisis and the new UN Appeal.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: British Nationals Abroad

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of his responses to Questions 116019 on Afghanistan: British Nationals Abroad and 113243 on British Nationals Abroad: Afghanistan; and what his Department's policy is on answering on behalf of hon. Members from outside his Department.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 31 January and 4 February 2022 to Questions 113243 and 116019 on British Nationals Abroad: Afghanistan, who asked him to respond on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Mr Ben Wallace: I refer the Hon. Member to my previous answer, which was in line with the Ministerial Code; 'Ministers have a duty to Parliament to account, and be held to account, for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies.' Therefore, as Operation Pitting was under MOD command, I have provided a response.

Vietnam: Visits Abroad

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he visited the historic battlefield of Dien Bien Phu during his visit to Vietnam from 21-23 July 2021.

Mr Ben Wallace: I did not visit the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, or any other battlefield in Vietnam.

Visits Abroad

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his declaration of ministerial travel published on 27 January, whether the total cost to the public purse of his overseas accommodation, meals, visas and other expenses excluding travel between 11 and 23 July 2021 was £1,766.68; and if he will publish an itemised breakdown of those costs.

Mr Ben Wallace: Ministerial expenses and hospitality associated with business trips are reported and broken down as part of its transparency disclosures available on gov.uk. I can confirm the £1,766.68 figure was for accommodation, meals, visas and other expenses excluding travel between 11 and 23 July 2021

USA: Visits Abroad

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2022 to Question 114676, whether the amount of £23,651.51 published in his declaration of ministerial travel on 27 January was for the cost of hiring RAF Voyager ZZ335 between 11 and 23 July 2021.

Mr Ben Wallace: This cost does not relate to the cost of hiring of RAF Voyager, as the Voyager is an RAF asset the visit accrued no hire charges to the Ministry of Defence, only costs relating personnel costs and allowances.

Armed Forces: Council Tax

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether service personnel living on base will be able to access financial relief equivalent to the £150 council tax rebate for band A-D properties via a reduction to the Charge in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOR) taken directly from their salary.

Leo Docherty: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises that Service personnel and families living in Service Accommodation will want to understand if the Council Tax rebate announced by the Chancellor on 3 February 2022, to help with the cost of living following a rise in the energy price cap, will apply to their Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT). The MOD is committed to ensuring that Service personnel are not disadvantaged because of their Service and is working to explore options for calculation and implementation of a potential rebate to Service personnel and families in Service Accommodation, in partnership with Local Authorities. An announcement on a decision will be made shortly.

Armed Forces: Furs

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of replacing ceremonial caps made from the skins of bears with ceremonial caps made using faux fur.

Jeremy Quin: There is currently no faux fur alternative that meets the required standard for the Queen’s Guards ceremonial caps. Bears are never hunted to order for use by the Ministry of Defence. Our suppliers source pelts made available by the Canadian authorities following a licensed cull as part of a programme to manage the wild bear population; Provincial, territorial, federal and international laws provide strict trade regulations to protect against unlawful trade in black bears both within Canada and internationally.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 193 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21, what the £3.581 million MAB Asset Under Construction Write-off refers to.

Jeremy Quin: Within the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21, an entry has been included as an advanced notification valued at £3.581 million. Advanced Notifications are cases where formal sign-off cannot take place until all the work necessary to establish the validity and the exact amount of the loss has been concluded. The value of an advance notification is the best estimate and may change once the case is finally closed, which will be separately reported in a future Annual Report and Accounts. While the specific details of this case, other than the fact that it is MAB related, cannot be released for security purposes the write-offs reflect a number of projects which when scrutinised should have been more properly accounted for as operational expenditure rather than the creation of a capital asset.  The Department is completing final checks on this balance before the final write off value is confirmed and will identify and apply any appropriate lessons learnt.

AUKUS

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the AUKUS agreement, whether the submarines will be armed with (a) nuclear capable and (b) non-nuclear capable missiles.

Jeremy Quin: The first initiative under AUKUS is collaboration on future nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. A trilateral 18-month programme of work is underway to identify the optimum way to deliver this new capability to the Royal Australian Navy, so it is too early to comment on what conventional armaments the future submarines may carry. However, Australia has been clear that it does not – and will not – seek nuclear weapons.

Government Departments: CCTV

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve his Department's guidance on the use and installation of Hikvision cameras to reduce their use by other government bodies.

Jeremy Quin: The Ministry of Defence has not issued guidance to other Government Departments about the use of these surveillance cameras. As has been the case under successive Governments, it is not Defence policy to comment on our security arrangements on national security grounds (including details on which products or services are used).

Ministry of Defence: CCTV

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department uses security cameras provided by (a) Hikvision, (b) Dahua, (c) Uniview or (d) Kedacom across any part of the defence estate.

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the facial recognition capabilities are of the security camera systems installed across the defence estate.

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the behavioural analysis capabilities are of the security camera systems installed across the defence estate.

Jeremy Quin: As has been the case under successive Governments, it is not Defence policy to comment on our security arrangements on national security grounds (including details on which products or services are used).

Syria and Turkey: Defence Equipment

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether military equipment supplied by the UK has been used by Turkey in Syria.

Jeremy Quin: The UK does not undertake end-use monitoring of controlled items that have been exported. Our current approach is to focus on a rigorous forward looking risk assessment before a licence is issued and to consider whether goods might be used in a way which is inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.

Veterans: Visas

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to remove visa fees for non-UK veterans living in Newport West constituency.

Leo Docherty: Last year the Government held a public consultation on the issue of removing visa fees for non-UK Service personnel who wish to remain in the UK at the end of their service. Once collective agreement for the final policy has been secured the Government's response will be published on the Gov.UK website.

Ukraine: Antitank Missiles

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2022 to Question 114942, what the market value was of the weapons given to Ukraine.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence cannot currently disclose the requested information due to operational security and commercial sensitivities with industry partners.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pensions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2022 to Question 108579, on Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the lower application rate to the War Pension Scheme in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20.

Leo Docherty: The War Pension Scheme (WPS) compensates for any injury, illness or death caused by service prior to 2005, and a reduction in claims has been expected as the data shows a downward trend from 2013-14 onwards mainly due to the ageing cohort of WPS recipients and potential recipients. The much lower application rate in 2020-21 compared to 2019- 20 is thought to be due to the national lockdown put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

War Pensions

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason the target clearance time for the War Pension scheme was set at 127 days.

Leo Docherty: 127 working days is an Average Clearance Time (ACT) target which begins upon receipt of the claim form and ends when the outcome decision is issued. The ACT caters for cases that take significantly longer to resolve, such as where a Coroner's Inquest is required, and those which can be cleared in much less than 127 working days. The current ACT target reflects the long term performance of the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) and has been confirmed as appropriate until the digitisation and transformation of the WPS is complete in 2023. The WPS ACT target will be fully reviewed at this point.

Afghanistan: Nowzad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the evacuation of Nowzad cost the Government in expenditure of time and money.

James Heappey: The Secretary of State for Defence was clear that the Ministry of Defence did not evacuate Nowzad. No costs were incurred in the limited support provided to Nowzad to secure the required permissions for the charter aircraft to land, and enable safe passage through the airport.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Overpayments

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit official error overpayments were made in the last 12 months; and what proportion of those overpayments were not recovered as a result of a successful waiver request.

David Rutley: DWP’s Fraud and Error estimates indicate that 2.2% of UC cases were overpaid due to Official Error in 2020/21. Clerical records show that we received 91 official error waiver requests in the 12 months up to January 2022. I can confirm that where a person is unable to afford the rate of repayment, and they have requested a reduction in their repayment rate, almost all such requests are accepted.

Household Support Fund

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding has been made available for the Household Support Fund (a) nationally and (b) in Kingston upon Hull.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to information from Hull City Council that the application period for the Household Support Fund went live on 23 November 2021 and closed on 17 December 2021 as a result of the number of applicants exceeding the available funding, what assessment her Department made of the amount of funding required to support that scheme.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department took to ensure effective application and distribution of funding under the Household Support Fund to different local authorities.

David Rutley: We recognise that some people require extra support over the winter, through the final stages of recovery, which is why vulnerable households across the country are able to access the Household Support Fund, which provides £421 million to help vulnerable people in England. Each Local Authority in England was allocated a share of the £421m based on population weighted by the index of multiple deprivation. Kingston upon Hull was allocated £3,038,293.68. Kingston upon Hull used a portion of their funding to establish a Household Support Scheme which ran applications until 17 December. We understand that the rest of their funding was used towards other initiatives, including food vouchers for vulnerable families over Christmas, February half term and the forthcoming Easter holidays.

Winter Fuel Payment

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of offering people eligible for winter fuel payments the option of donating the sum they would receive to charity instead.

Guy Opperman: Winter fuel payments give reassurance, particularly to poorer pensioners, that they can keep warm during the colder months. The department currently issues over 11 million winter fuel payments within a small delivery window. Introducing an option on the notification for customers to donate their winter fuel payment would introduce complexity to the process. Recipients are of course free to donate the payment to a charity of their choice.

Pension Credit

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many eligible people are not currently claiming their pension credit (a) in York and (b) nationally in each of the last 2 years.

Guy Opperman: The information requested is not available at constituency level. The latest estimates of the number of families in Great Britain entitled to Pension Credit but not claiming it are available in the “Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up” publication which can be found here:Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year 2018 to 2019 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress has been made on securing reciprocal agreements with countries outside of the EU to facilitate the uprating of state pension to UK citizens living abroad.

Guy Opperman: The UK State Pension is payable worldwide to all who satisfy the qualifying conditions. The policy on the up-rating of UK State Pensions paid overseas is longstanding and has been supported by successive post-war governments for over 70 years.The Government has no plans to change this policy.

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether all claimants for whom a DS1500 form has been submitted now have their claims fast-tracked; and if she will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The Special Rules recognise that when people are faced with the end of their life, their focus should, as far as possible, be on the time they have remaining. Through the Special Rules, the Department provides simple and fast access to benefits for those nearing the end of their lives so they do not have to claim under the normal processes. DS1500 forms have never been a requirement for a claim under the terminal illness rules but remain the quickest and most appropriate route to gather evidence to support entitlement in these cases. Where it is not possible to supply a DS1500 in support of a terminal illness claim, the Department considers alternative evidence and works flexibly and quickly with the claimant or their clinician to make a speedy determination. People with severe health conditions unable to claim under the Special Rules, will continue to be able to receive support from the benefits system through Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

Sign Language

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Education on the steps they are taking to issue guidance to parents of deaf children on British Sign Language.

Chloe Smith: As the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, I engage across government on disability issues and meet with Departmental Ministerial Champions on a regular basis. I recently engaged with Department for Education officials at a Roundtable as part of the preparation for supporting Rosie Cooper’s current Private Members Bill on BSL. My officials are also in discussion with other government departments, including the Department for Education, about the provision of BSL interpretation services. I have been working closely with Rosie Cooper MP to support the aims and development of her Private Members Bill which I believe is a major step forward in recognising BSL as a language for D/deaf people in its own right.

Employment and Support Allowance: Leeds Central

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people in the Leeds Central constituency who have been affected by the underpayment of benefits after transitioning from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance.

Chloe Smith: We estimate that 260 cases qualifying for arrears payments were based in the Leeds Central constituency as of the end of the exercise. Notes:Figure rounded to the nearest 10.End of the exercise refers to 1 June 2021. Geographical breakdowns are derived from address information recorded on the Department's Customer Information System (CIS) for 1 June 2021. For deceased cases this will be the last address held on the CIS as of the extract date (28 December 2021) for that National Insurance number.Analysis is based on administrative data for the ESA underpayments exercise that was correct as of 21 July 2021.

Vacancies: Eastbourne

Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the latest reported vacancy figures are for Eastbourne constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Mims Davies: ONS does not produce statistics on vacancies below the national level. However, estimates of ‘online job adverts’ are available at a regional level. These statistics show online job vacancies for South East England are up 24% since the start of the pandemic (February 2020).Throughout the pandemic the UK Government has provided historic levels of support to the economy – a total of over £400 billion. This includes key DWP programmes such as Restart and Kickstart alongside other measures to boost work searches, skills and apprenticeships. Our support was in addition to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.We have launched 'Way to Work’, a concerted drive across the UK to help half a million people currently out of work into jobs in the next five months. We will be bringing employers into jobcentres and matching them up with claimants. This is good news for employers who need to fill vacancies and for our claimants.

Employment and Training: Disability and Young People

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase the number of employment and training opportunities available to (a) young people and (b) disabled people.

Mims Davies: Through Jobcentre Plus, DWP is helping young people to find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression. The Plan for Jobs provides a comprehensive package of support for young people, including the Youth Offer and Kickstart. The Kickstart scheme is dedicated to helping 16 to 24-year olds at risk of long-term unemployment develop their skills and experience through fully funded six-month jobs. We are extending the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and have expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year olds, in addition to 18 to 24-year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and in the Intensive Work Search group. As part of this, Youth Hubs offer a range of dedicated local services, including mental health support, alongside skills, training, and employment provision. Youth Employability Coaches work closely alongside Disability Employment Advisors who specialise in helping claimants who have a disability or health condition to move into the labour market. We have increased the number of work coaches providing individually tailored support which will help the newly unemployed, enable us to continue supporting those with complex needs, and to work with partners to ensure they get the help they need. A range of DWP initiatives are supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to live independent lives and start, stay and succeed in employment. The UK Government will provide £1.3bn over the Spending Review 2021 period to provide support for disabled people and people with health conditions. We will extend the Work and Health Programme, expand the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, and expand employment support in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services across England. Through the Disability Confident scheme, DWP is engaging with employers and helping to promote the skills, talents and abilities of people with disabilities and health conditions. Through the scheme, DWP is providing advice and support to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled people, by signposting them to appropriate advice guidance and support. Core skills are fundamental in securing, retaining and progressing in work. This Government has invested in apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational and basic skills training, alongside careers advice and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). This all forms part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. DWP actively seeks to provide claimants with upskilling opportunities, and our delivery approach is aligned to wider Government support for priority areas as part of the economic recovery – ensuring those looking for work, including young people and disabled people, are well positioned to gain employment in these sectors.

Employment

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps work coaches are taking to get people who have been out of work for an extended period back into work.

Mims Davies: DWP offers significant support to unemployed people across Great Britain to access employment opportunities through our network of Jobcentres. Our Work Coaches engage with claimants on the basis of their individual need to provide support on finding a job, help with retraining or skills advice, job applications and access to the new vacancies, as well as signposting to our Jobhelp website. Through our Plan for Jobs, the Department is providing broad ranging support for all jobseekers. Currently, support includes the Kickstart scheme, Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart. The Restart Scheme supports individuals who have been unemployed for at least 9 months and through regular, personalised support, providers work with participants to identify the best way to support them into sustained employment. In addition, the Work and Heath Programme, and Intensive Personalised Employment Support, is available to support to support disabled people and people with long term health conditions, to enter and stay in work.

Vacancies

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has her department made of the implications for her policies of the number of job vacancies in the labour market as of 2 February 2022 in (a) Weaver Vale constituency, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Mims Davies: For October to December 2021 there were a record high 1.2 million vacancies nationally, many in key sectors. Official statistics are not available at a local level, but ONS publish experimental statistics based on online job adverts. These suggest that, as of 28 January 2022, there are almost 40% more job adverts online in the North West than they were in February 2020. Our labour market policies are designed to support claimants who can work to move into work, improving their financial situation and wellbeing; and to support employers who need to fill vacancies. To deliver the workforce needed by the labour market, the Government has launched ‘Way to Work’. This will apply the lessons from the Kickstart Scheme to bring employers and claimants together in our Jobcentres. This will expedite applications and interviews and speed up the process of getting people into work. We will also make it easier for employers to work with us to fill their vacancies through jobs fairs (both in person and online), Employer Hubs, our social media channels (including JobHelp), and advertising on FindAJob. This is good news for employers who need to fill their vacancies. It is also good for our claimants who will be better off financially in work.

Carer's Allowance

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to increase the carers allowance cap to reflect the rise in minimum wage so that part-time workers do not have to reduce their hours to continue qualifying for carers allowance.

Chloe Smith: Carer’s Allowance has an earnings limit which permits carers to undertake some part-time work if they are able to do so. This recognises the benefits of staying in touch with the workplace, including greater financial independence and social interaction. We know that some carers are keen to maintain contact with the labour market so we want to encourage carers to combine some paid work with their caring duties wherever possible. That is why we regularly increase the earnings limit when it is warranted and affordable. The earnings limit for those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance who are able to maintain some contact with the employment market is currently £128 a week. Subject to Parliamentary approval, this will increase to £132 a week from April 2022. This will mean that the earnings limit will have increased by around one third since 2010. The earnings limit for Carer's Allowance is a figure net of certain expenses, including income tax, National Insurance contributions and half of any contributions to an occupational or personal pension, which means that some carers will be able to earn considerably more in gross earnings than the weekly earnings limit. The earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance is not linked to any specific factor such as the number of hours worked, or the National Living Wage. However, the Government keeps the earnings limit under review and will consider changes where they are warranted and affordable. Many carers who are receiving Carer’s Allowance and doing some work will also be receiving Universal Credit. For those receiving Universal Credit, the 55% taper rate and any applicable work allowance will help to ensure that people are better off in work.

Employment Schemes

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Plan For Jobs in supporting people into work.

Mims Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 114984.

Kickstart Scheme

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the progress of the Kickstart Scheme.

Mims Davies: As of the 31st January 2022, over 130,000 Kickstart jobs have been started by young people and over 235,000 jobs have been made available for young people to apply to through the scheme. The Department for Work and Pensions will be monitoring and evaluating the Kickstart scheme throughout and after its implementation and will continue to evaluate the longer-term outcomes for Kickstart participants after they have completed their six-month jobs. Jobs made available and starts quoted here include some unfunded Kickstart jobs. Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme.

Sign Language

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to promote the use of British Sign Language.

Chloe Smith: The Government is committed to supporting all people with a disability, including deaf people, to lead fulfilled, independent lives. For D/deaf people, we recognise that this must include the ability to communicate with others through British Sign Language (BSL) or other forms of deaf communication. I have been working closely with Rosie Cooper MP to support the aims and development of her Private Members Bill to promote BSL. We have also held a number of stakeholder forums, including with deaf people’s organisations such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People and British Deaf Association, to ensure that we understand the views and perspectives of D/deaf BSL users. The British Sign Language Bill is a major step forward in recognising BSL as a language for D/deaf people in its own right. It will place a duty on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to issue guidance on the promotion and facilitation of BSL. It will also require them to report on information supplied by ministerial Departments regarding their use of BSL. This reporting will give us a much better understanding of how BSL is being used across the government, and how we can continue to improve communication for D/deaf BSL users. I will also be creating a non-statutory board of BSL users which can advise the Government on matters pertaining to BSL. To complement the approach set out in the Bill, we are also developing a suite of non-statutory measures which will help promote and facilitate the use of BSL. These include:o examining how we might increase the number of BSL interpreters;o reviewing how we might work in DWP to ensure the Access to Work fund helps BSL users; ando aiming to update the National Disability Strategy to facilitate and promote BSL usage.

Employment

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to provide alternative job opportunities to all of the 12,000 work coaches that are being re-interviewed.

Mims Davies: DWP recognises the important contribution colleagues on fixed-term contracts have made over the pandemic period.We expect to be able to offer permanency to the majority of our fixed-term Executive Officer colleagues. The current exercise will also include, where possible, the ability to offer colleagues other Executive Officer roles, not just Work Coaches, within the Department. Detailed planning work is currently underway to determine numbers and roles.Where fixed-term EO colleagues cannot be offered permanency with DWP, we will continue to provide support in applying for roles in the Civil Service and externally throughout the remainder of colleagues' fixed term contract.

Education: Universal Credit

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many weeks of work-focused study a universal credit recipient can undertake without losing their entitlement; what criteria were used to decide how many weeks of work-focused study a universal credit recipient can undertake without losing their entitlement; and what criteria are set out in guidance for Jobcentre Plus advisors to assist them in deciding whether a universal credit recipient can undertake work-focused study without losing their entitlement.

Mims Davies: Through DWP Train and Progress, UC claimants may undertake a full-time course of non-advanced study or training (not above level 3) for up to 12 weeks. This allows claimants who would benefit to undertake additional L3 opportunities that form part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee in England (and devolved administration equivalents). This flexibility can be extended to up to 16 weeks to allow claimants to participate in DfE funded Skills Bootcamps. It should be noted that this initiative has been extended to April 2022.UC claimants are able to take on part-time training for any level of course as long as they meet their work-related requirements and their Work Coach is satisfied it will fill a skills gap and will improve their prospects of moving into work more quickly. Where this is the case, the number of hours can be treated as a work preparation requirement and the time spent on the course can be deducted from the hours the claimant is expected to carry out work search activity. It should be noted that there is no limit on the length of part-time training claimants can undertake, in agreement with their Work Coach. The criteria above is clearly set out in guidance for all Work Coaches to use in these circumstances.

New Enterprise Allowance

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of the closure of the New Enterprise Allowance on the number of start-ups in the UK.

Mims Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20th January 2022 to Question 105535.

Horticulture: Recruitment

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to test the effectiveness of the Find a job website in recruiting local people into seasonal worker roles in the ornamental horticulture sector.

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s Workplace Academy programme for recruitment in to the ornamental horticulture sector.

Mims Davies: The requested information is not available. It is not possible to give specific information about ornamental horticulture vacancies advertised using Find a job or offered as part of our Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). Employers categorise their vacancies by business sector, but this data is not granular enough to distinguish ornamental horticulture roles, which employers advertise across many different sectors ranging from agriculture and forestry, facilities management to retail.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proactive steps Jobcentre Plus is taking to ensure claimants are in receipt of their full entitlement.

Mims Davies: The Department works hard to ensure that people are in receipt of their full entitlement, communicating with the public about benefits through paid advertising, stakeholder and employer engagement and no cost campaigns to help people understand their entitlement and the support we can provide as a safety net and in times of need. During the pandemic this has been of particular importance. We increased the frequency of our stakeholder engagement to effectively convey the rapidly changing environment particularly as many people needed to claim benefits for the first time. We have made additional use of digital media such as YouTube videos, particularly British Sign Language videos to widely promote DWP benefits.DWP staff in Jobcentres provide support and advice about entitlement to benefits and will signpost citizens to appropriate information to help them. The Department provides telephone service lines that citizens can call to make their claims to benefit and to operate their claims as well as a visiting service which can help vulnerable customers with their claims. Jobcentres have internet terminals for use by the public, and staff will signpost citizens to other community resources (libraries and Citizens Advice) which can also provide advice and internet access points.The Government’s website, GOV.UK provides guidance on individual’s rights and entitlements to benefits in the UK. In particular, the website provides links to independent benefits calculators that can be used to find out what benefits an individual could get, how to claim and how these benefits will be affected if an individual starts work. https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators The independent benefits calculators we endorse are intended to provide useful estimations of what people could be entitled to in certain circumstances, based on the information that is entered on the calculators themselves.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has for a small scale pilot to test yellow card warning systems in place of immediate benefit sanctions.

Mims Davies: The Department committed to look at processes to give claimants a written warning, instead of a sanction, for a first sanctionable failure to attend a Work-Search Review. We have completed one small proof of concept, and we plan to run another proof of concept this year.

Employment

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2022 to Question 113112, on Employment, on what basis her Department has calculated that there were more people in employment in September to November 2021 than before the covid-19 outbreak.

Mims Davies: The answer given to PQ 113112 outlines changes in employment since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, using the official measure of employment (based on the Labour Force Survey).

Children: Maintenance

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate her Department has made of the (a) scale of the backlog of child maintenance cases and (b) likely timeframe for clearing those cases.

Guy Opperman: The information requested is published and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-maintenance-service-statistics-data-to-september-2021-experimental The department acknowledges there has been a rise in outstanding changes of circumstances in the last reported quarter from end of June 2021 to the end of September 2021. The Department has redeployed resources to address this rise in outstanding work since the publication of these statistics and estimates that this will show an arresting of growth in the next statistical release.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in the most recent 12 months for which data is available, what the average length of time applicants for (a) personal independence payment, (b) employment and support allowance, and (c) the limited capability for work assessment of universal credit, waited for (i) an assessment and (ii) a correct decision on their assessment.

Chloe Smith: We are committed to ensuring that disabled people get the full support that they need in a timely manner. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant. Decisions are made following consideration of all the information provided by the claimant, including supporting evidence from their GP or medical specialist. (a) For Personal Independence Payment (PIP), between November 2020 and October 2021, the most recent 12 months for which data is available:- The average (median) time between a PIP new claim being referred to the Assessment Provider (AP) and returned from the AP was 13 weeks.- The average (median) time between a PIP new claim being returned from the AP and a DWP decision being made was 2 weeks. The length of time between Referral to AP and return from AP is used as a proxy for the length of time the claimant has waited for an assessment, because data on the dates that assessments took place is not held by DWP. Similarly, the length of time between return from the AP and a DWP decision being made is used as a proxy for the length of time for a decision to be made on the assessment.(b) The Department publishes Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) statistics on gov.uk which can be found here. The median ESA WCA customer journey processing times for initial claims can be found in section 10 of the latest statistical bulletin. The statistics include the average time taken for the full end-to-end process and also the time from WCA referral to AP recommendation and the time from the AP recommendation to the DWP decision, including those following a Mandatory Reconsideration. More details can also be found in Table 1 of the ‘Clearance Times for Initial Claims’ dataset in the ESA Work Capability Assessments section of Stat-Xplore. Guidance for users is available here. (c) The information for Universal Credit WCA processing times is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.  Notes Source part (a): PIP ADS PIP data includes normal rules claimants only and is for new claims only.Figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number of weeks.The status of claims as 'normal rules' and 'new claim/reassessment' is shown as at the point of clearance of the stage of the journey concerned.Processing times do not include claims that were withdrawn by the claimant during this phase or claims that were returned to DWP without an assessment report and disallowed because the claimant failed to attend the assessment without good reason.Processing times are for initial decisions only, and do not include Mandatory Reconsiderations or Appeals.The figures quoted are the median processing time of claims which cleared the specified part of the journey between 1st November 2020 and 31st October 2021.The median time is the middle value if you were to order all the times within the distribution from lowest value to highest value. The median is presented here instead of the mean because the mean can be unduly affected by outlying cases (e.g. cases where the person has been hard to reach due to being in prison, hospital, failed to attend the assessment on numerous occasions etc.)Great Britain only.This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date all personal independence payment applicants will have the automatic choice of having their assessment audio-recorded.

Chloe Smith: The option for a claimant to request an audio recording of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) telephone assessment is available with both assessment providers, Independent Assessment Services (IAS) and Capita. Claimants are required to make a request to the assessment provider to have their PIP assessment recorded, thereby opting-in to the recording of their assessment. The assessment provider will provide the equipment necessary to allow this service to proceed. IAS currently delivers the facility to audio record face to face assessments. The department is working with Capita to complete the roll out of audio recording across all assessment centres which removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment. Work is also ongoing to introduce an audio recording facility for video assessments. This will bring the audio recording of face to face and video assessments in line with the recording of telephone assessments and the department aims to complete both as soon as it is practically possible. Currently, PIP claimants invited to a face to face assessment by Capita can record their assessment themselves, subject to the conditions set by the department. These are listed in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) and are contained within correspondence sent to claimants by the assessment providers.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Correspondence

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average response time was for his Department to respond to an enquiry from an MP once an enquiry had been received by the MP (a) hotline and (b) account management team in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.

Victoria Prentis: The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents. Defra does not have an MP hotline. The average response time for enquiries received by the Rural Payments Agency’s MP hotline was 37 days for 2019, 22 days for 2020 and 17 days for 2021. Defra does not have an account management team, and the Defra correspondence team does not hold information on the average response time to enquiries from MPs, as correspondence performance is monitored by the percentage of correspondence responded to within the target response time set by the Department. Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers for 2019 and 2020 is published on Gov.uk here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers. Data for 2021 will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.

Research: Expenditure

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 175 of the Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper, what proportion of the £24 million for the UK Seafood Fund will be spent on R&D; and what proportion of that R&D spending will happen outside the Greater South East.

Victoria Prentis: All of the £24 million referred to in the Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper will be spent on research and development around the UK. The remaining £76 million of the UK Seafood Fund will be used for Infrastructure (at least £65 million), Skills and Training (up to £10 million) and boosting access to international markets (£1 million). Nearly half of the £24 million has been allocated to the Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) to develop new technology and equipment. Around 80% of SIF funding has been allocated to projects outside the Greater South East. The remainder of the £24 million has been allocated to the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships scheme that provides funding for research projects. We will shortly be announcing the successful bidders from the first funding round with funding to be allocated across the UK.

Competition and Trade: Regulation

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has taken steps to review the corpus of retained EU law and other UK regulations for the purposes of (a) identifying potential negative impact on (i) trade and (ii) competition and (b) prioritising for change those for which a potential negative impact is identified; what estimate he has made of the time it will take to complete such a review; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement changes identified.

Victoria Prentis: The Prime Minister announced on 31 January that the Government is taking steps to ensure that any retained EU law on the UK statute book meets the UK’s priorities for unlocking growth and is tailored to the needs of the UK. Defra is fully engaged with the Government’s work to amend, replace or repeal all the retained EU law that is not right for the UK. Defra has an important role to play in that process. Along with other Government departments and the Brexit Opportunities Unit, we are currently taking stock of our retained EU law. We will then publish information on retained EU law, in line with the Government commitment. This work is planned to support the development of the ‘Brexit Freedoms’ Bill, also announced on 31 January. This bill will mean that retained EU law can be more easily amended or removed. My department is committed to making the most of our new-found freedoms outside the EU in Defra policy areas. An effective, ambitious programme of regulatory reform is critical to making that happen. Where suitable and necessary we are prioritising this reform and our legislative plans to deliver this will be announced in due course.

Export Health Certificates

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a veterinary or SPS agreement with the EU in order to (a) reduce the complexity of or (b) eliminate the need for Export Health Certificates on agri-food imports and exports.

Victoria Prentis: I refer the hon. Member the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton on 28 January 2022, PQ UIN 111667.

Eels: Conservation

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect sandeel populations in the North Sea in advance of the 2022 sea bird breeding season.

Victoria Prentis: The UK’s seabirds are an important part of our natural heritage, and their protection is a high priority for this Government. Forage fish such as sandeels play a crucial role in the health of the wider marine ecosystem. Defra and the UK Fisheries Administrations recently published a call for evidence on sandeels and Norway pout to help inform decision making and to consider possible measures to manage these stocks more sustainably in the future. The responses are currently being analysed. ICES releases its annual scientific advice about the condition of sandeel stocks in the North Sea on 25 February. We will carefully consider this advice, as well as the advice given in response to the call for evidence, in developing a UK position ahead of the negotiation with the European Union of a total allowable catch for North Sea sandeel in 2022. Defra is also working with Natural England to develop a comprehensive and ambitious English Seabird Conservation Strategy. The Strategy will aim to assess the vulnerability of each seabird species in light of the pressures they are facing and propose actions to address them.

Plastics

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the sustainability of (a) pyrolysis or (b) gasification as a means of processing thin plastic films.

Jo Churchill: My Department has not conducted any dedicated assessment of the sustainability of Advanced Thermal Treatments, including pyrolysis and gasification, as a means of processing waste plastic film. Defra seeks to prevent waste occurring in the first place and, where it does occur, prioritise waste for reuse and recycling over energy recovery, including gasification and pyrolysis. Government is bringing forward several measures to increase recycling of plastic waste, including Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, consistent recycling collections for England, a deposit return scheme for drinks containers, and a Plastic Packaging Tax.

Animal and Plant Health Agency: Border Force

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes to the Service Level Agreement have been made between Border Force and the Animal and Plant Health Agency since December 2021.

Jo Churchill: The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Border Force (BF) teams do not have a Service Level Agreement in place. AHPA and BF have an operational agreement for the Port of Dover. Dover BF officers continue to make referrals to the APHA officers. There has been one change to the operational agreement. This change means that Dover BF will no longer hold the vehicle/consignment for more than 30 minutes. If APHA is unable to deploy staff to attend within 30 minutes the vehicle/consignment will be released. Details of the vehicle, person responsible for the animals and the consignment will be provided to APHA to follow up retrospectively. If APHA attend within 30 minutes and identify non-compliance, UK Dover will not support this part of the process. APHA will be required to request assistance to manage any issues as required from the Port of Dover Police or Kent Police, if they are not present.

Land Drainage and Sewage: Property Development

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring offsite infrastructure investment to be secured through Grampian conditions for property developments with respect to drainage and sewerage prior to commencement.

Rebecca Pow: Defra has not yet made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring infrastructure investment to be secured through Grampian conditions. Conditions requiring works on land that is not controlled by the applicant, or that requires the consent or authorisation of another person or body often fail the tests of reasonableness and enforceability. It may be possible to achieve a similar result using a condition worded in a negative form (a Grampian condition) i.e. prohibiting development authorised by the planning permission or other aspects linked to the planning permission until a specified action has been taken. Such conditions should not be used where there are no prospects at all of the action in question being performed within the time-limit imposed by the permission. Local Planning Authorities are responsible for attaching conditions to planning applications so it would be for them to determine whether a Grampian condition would be appropriate on a case by case basis.

UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his priorities are for the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

Rebecca Pow: Biodiversity loss is a global problem that needs a global solution, and the UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. As part of this framework, the UK will be advocating for ambitious global targets to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030. This includes targets to ensure at least 30% of the land and of the ocean is protected, ecosystems are restored, species population sizes are recovering, and extinctions are halted by 2050. The UK is calling for this ambitious set of targets to be supported by increased finance for nature from all sources (public and private) and at all levels (domestic and international), and for strengthened reporting and review mechanisms to facilitate the achievement of targets and hold Parties to account to their commitments.

Land Drainage

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to commence Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 for England.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of statutory national standards for the implementation of sustainable drainage systems on property developments.

Rebecca Pow: The Government has commenced a review into the case for implementing Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in England. The review will report back in 2022.

Marine Protected Areas

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to introduce bylaws following the consultation on four of England’s Marine Protected Areas, published February 2021, which proposed the prohibition of the use of bottom towed fishing gear in four offshore Marine Protected Areas.

Rebecca Pow: The Fisheries Act 2020 introduced new powers enabling the Marine Management Organisation to implement management measures within our offshore Marine Protected Areas. The byelaws for the first four offshore sites are now in the process of being finalised.

Pollution

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether determinations under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 have been completed at known polychlorinated biphenyls and para-nitrochlorobenzene locations including (a) Sutton Walls, Herefordshire, (b) Cefn Mawr factory site, (c) Maendy Quarry, (d) Tyr Llwyd old quarry, (e) Llwyneinion acid tar lagoon, Ruabon, and f) Stoneyhill quarry, Telford.

Rebecca Pow: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates only to locations in England, (a) and (f).These landfill sites are regulated by their respective local authorities, rather than the Environment Agency.(a) In July 2010, Herefordshire County Council requested the EA undertake a comprehensive assessment of the former Sutton Walls landfill site. The site was deemed to meet potential Special Site criteria under Part 2a of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, as there was a risk to potable water supplies. The EA used Contaminated Land Capital Funds to inspect the site. The investigation found that there were no significant contaminant linkages associated with the site and the EA advised HCC that the site did not meet the definition of contaminated land under Part 2a of the EPA 1990.(f) In 2008, Telford & Wrekin Council (TWC) carried out an investigation of Stoneyhill landfill, in accordance with its obligations under Part 2a of the EPA 1990. The EA offered support and advice through this investigation. The investigation found no significant pollution to controlled waters so TWC concluded that the site did not meet the definition for being contaminated land under Part 2a of the EPA 1990.

Roads: Pollution

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the Environment Agency prevents further sewage overflows from manhole number 4103 in Kendal.

Rebecca Pow: Restoring water quality is a Government priority. We will shortly be setting new legally binding targets for water under the Environment Act to provide a strong mechanism for driving long-term environmental improvements. This Government is the first to take action to tackle the historic infrastructure issue of sewage overflows, with new duties through the Environment Act on the water industry to reduce the harm they cause. Water company investment in environmental improvements has been scaled up to £7.1 billion over the period 2020-25. Through the next Price Review (PR24) we are using the strategic policy statement to Ofwat, the economic regulator, to make the environment a top priority. Water companies are required to monitor their processes and emissions, and report these to the Environment Agency (EA). The EA runs this through compliance checks to ensure water companies are meeting permit requirements. Where these checks have highlighted breaches in permit conditions, or where evidence of environmental impact is found, the EA has taken strong action resulting in successful prosecutions, including the recent cases against Southern Water and Thames Water.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the letter of 30 November from the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys on behalf of his constituent regarding e-collars.

Jo Churchill: The hon. Member’s letter of 30 November was answered on 8 February 2022.

Home Office

Home Office: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings she had with her Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (a) 1 March to 31 May 2021, (b) 1 June to 31 August 2021 and (c) 1 September to 30 November 2021.

Damian Hinds: Ministers meet with Professor Jennifer Rubin, the Home Office Chief Scientific Adviser, as necessary during the process of policy development and delivery.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places on the Afghan Citizens Resettlement scheme have yet to be allocated; and how many people who have been given protection under that scheme are (a) British nationals or (b) living in the UK.

Victoria Atkins: The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January. The ACRS will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.British Nationals are being supported outside the ACRS. We will include this data within published resettlement statistics later in 2022.

Internet: Fraud

Sarah Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase the proportion of online scams resulting in (a) a full investigation and (b) the prosecution of the perpetrator.

Damian Hinds: The Government is committed to increasing improvements in the response to fraud – including investigations and prosecutions. The government is committed to taking fraudsters off the streets and increasing arrests and prosecutions. We the government is committed to increasing arrests and prosecutions and that is why we have been working with partners from law enforcement, the public and private sectors to explore all options available to give our policing colleagues what they need to keep pace with criminals and encourage innovation within industry.In February 2021, we set out an ambitious framework for tackling fraud against individuals and businesses, which will be published in detail later in 2022. It will commit key partners in the public and private sectors to do more to tackle fraud, focusing on restricting opportunities to commit fraud increasing public awareness and strengthening victim support.We are already increasing law enforcement investigative capacity in the National Crime Agency and in Regional Organised Crime Units across England and Wales. As part of the Police Uplift Programme to recruit an additional 20,000 officers by 2023, we have channelled additional officer resource into the Regional Organised Crime Unit network to work on a host of serious and organised crime threats including fraud as well as posts to the City of London Police to fulfil their role as a world-class fraud specialist force. We will also establish a new fraud investigative function in the NCA to target the most complex and serious fraudsters, meeting a manifesto commitment to create a new national cybercrime force focused on fraud. We are also increasing intelligence capabilities in the NCA and the national security community to identify the most harmful criminals and organised criminal gangs.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people who are eligible for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), who already hold valid limited leave to remain in the UK, will be able to benefit from the ACRS; and if she will publish guidance on the necessary steps to take.

Victoria Atkins: The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6 January 2022 and will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.Anyone resettled under the ACRS will receive Indefinite Leave to Remain. The ACRS policy statement can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme

Daniel Morgan Independent Panel

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made in implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel.

Kit Malthouse: The majority of the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel’s recommendations were for policing. There are also recommendations for Government to address. Good progress is being made in responding to these recommendations and my officials are working across Government to ensure a comprehensive response to the Panel’s report.In respect of those recommendations directed at the police, last June the Home Secretary wrote to the Commissioner of the MPS asking her to address those recommendations, as well as the wider themes highlighted by the Panel, as soon as practically possible. The Home Secretary also asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to investigate the issues raised by the Panel.The Home Secretary has committed to return to the House to provide an update to Parliament on progress made against the recommendations in the report, which she intends to do as soon as practicable after receiving the HMICFRS report and the response of the MPS this year.

Dogs: Smuggling

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Border Force guidance is for handling detained vehicles which are suspected to be involved in the illegal puppy smuggling industry.

Kit Malthouse: Border Force has extensive powers to examine and control traffic for a wide variety of purposes, and through its work at the border is able to examine vehicles and freight and ensure detections of illegal imports are referred to the most relevant authority or enforcement agency for action.If live animals are detected, Border Force is responsible for the detention of the animals and vehicle, and then referring to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at the appropriate border control post for further enforcement action.

10 Downing Street

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will launch a public inquiry into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of potential breaches of covid-19 regulations in 10 Downing Street.

Kit Malthouse: The Metropolitan Police Service, in common with all other police forces in the United Kingdom, is operationally independent from Government. To protect and maintain that independence, Ministers do not intervene in individual cases, complaints or operational decisions made by the police and nor should MPs.Allegations against the police are handled under a comprehensive legislative framework, which includes the role of the independent police “watchdog”, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC is responsible for investigating the most serious and sensitive cases and, by law, forces must refer certain matters to them – including any allegation of serious corruption. The Government strengthened the police complaints and discipline systems in February 2020 making them more timely, proportionate and accountable. This included additional powers for the IOPC, including the “power of initiative” to ensure they can investigate of its own volition without first requiring a referral from a police force.

Educational Visits: EU Nationals

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young people have travelled to the UK on collective passports issued by EU Member States who have ratified the relevant 1961 Council of Europe treaty as of 3 February 2022 since the UK's departure from the EU.

Kevin Foster: We do not collect data distinguishing the use of collective from individual passports. Therefore, data on the number of persons entering the UK using a collective passport are not available.

Intimate Image Abuse

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to tackle the unconsented sharing of intimate and sexual images.

Rachel Maclean: There are a range of criminal offences with robust sanctions which can be used to deal with the non-consensual creation and sharing of intimate photography (so called ‘revenge porn’). In 2015 we made it an offence to share private sexual photographs and films without the consent of the individual appearing in the photograph or film and with intent to cause them distress. There have been over 900 convictions for this offence since its commencement in April 2015. And, through our landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021, we criminalised making threats to share private sexual images with intent to cause distress or anxiety.In addition, our Online Safety Bill will give companies clear legal responsibilities to understand the risk of harm to users and to put in place systems and processes to improve safety of users. For illegal content like criminal revenge porn, companies will have to take action to prevent its proliferation online.The Law Commission is considering the existing offences in this are to identify whether there are any gaps in the scope of protection already offered to victims.. We expect the Commission to publish its recommendations this Spring, and the Government will consider these carefully.We are also committed to ensuring that victims and survivors get the support they deserve. That is why the Home Office provided an initial £120k to the ‘Revenge Porn’ Helpline to support victims of non-consensual intimate image sharing, and, as part of our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, we have increased funding by a further £40K for the ‘Revenge Porn’ Helpline in recognition of the significant increase in demand to the service. In addition, we are providing nearly £200k to the National Sexual Violence Support Fund to support victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence.

Educational Visits

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to help facilitate educational travel to the UK by people who hold national ID cards but not passports.

Kevin Foster: As with all other nationalities, we no longer accept national identity cards as a valid travel document from EU, EEA and Swiss visitors to the UK.Almost a year’s notice was provided for this change to allow people and groups to plan ahead and obtain passports where they do not already have them before they travel. Officials also worked with key stakeholders - including carriers and others in the travel industry – to ensure the successful implementation of the change on 1 October 2021.The experience at the UK border since 1 October 2021 has been positive, with EU, EEA and Swiss nationals recognising the need to switch to using their passports for travel to the UK. By using a biometric passport most EU nationals, aged 12 or over, making a short visit can also use e-gates, where available, for a quicker and easier arrival experience.

Overseas Students: EU Nationals

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the economic impact of EU citizens not on Tier 5 visas who are studying in the UK not being permitted to work, including those undertaking work placements.

Kevin Foster: The new Student route was launched in October 2020 and streamlines and simplifies the previous Tier 4 route, making it simpler for international students to apply to study in the UK and significantly improves on our offer in the global marketplace. A full impact assessment for the Student route was published on 10 September 2020 and can be found on gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-707-10-september-2020 Student visa holders following a full-time course, including study abroad programmes in the UK, at degree level or above at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance are entitled to work 20 hours per week during term-time and can undertake work placements as an assessed part of their course. Full-time employment is permitted outside of term-time. The Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa provides individuals with the opportunity to complete training, a work experience placement, English language course or conduct research for a period of up to two years and some of these schemes provide some form of financial reimbursement. A full list of schemes can be found at: Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Gender Based Violence

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to add violence against women and girls to the strategic policing requirement.

Rachel Maclean: The issue of Violence Against Women and Girls is a key priority for the government and policing.In September 2021, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) report “Police response to violence against women and girls” recommended the policing of violence against women and girls be added to the Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR).The purpose of the SPR is to set out what in the Home Secretary’s view are the national threats at the time the document is issued, and the appropriate national policing capabilities to counter those national threats.Following the HMICFRS recommendation and a recent Home Office-led review of the SPR, we are currently considering the national threats and policing capabilities to be included in a revised SPR which will be published in due course.

Visas: Afghanistan

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department provides to Afghans with UK visas in travelling to the UK.

Kevin Foster: The Government responded swiftly to the fast-moving and challenging events in Afghanistan, including supporting the largest and fastest evacuation in recent history. We can be proud as a country that we helped over 15,000 people to safety from Afghanistan in August 2021 and we continue to do all we can to enable those who are eligible to relocate to the UK. We have continued to bring people to the UK, with 1,500 people helped to enter since the evacuation, including people under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, LGBT+ Afghans, female judges and human rights defenders. People in these groups who were evacuated to the UK will now be granted indefinite leave to remain; where such people were called forward for evacuation but did not make it out of Afghanistan they will be prioritised for inclusion in the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). The UK is working with international partners to secure safe routes out of Afghanistan as soon as they become available.Those who were not called forward, and who hold a UK visa, are expected to make their own arrangements to travel to the UK.

Asylum: Children

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of days taken to process claims for unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK is; and how many days her Department took to reach a decision on claims by children seeking asylum in (a) 2021, (b) 2020 and (c) 2019; and if she will make a statement.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office is unable to state what the average number of days taken to process claims unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK and how many days it took to reach a decision on claims by children seeking asylum in 2021, 2020 and 2019 as this information is not collected in a format which can published.The Home Office has established two dedicated case working Hubs for deciding children’s asylum claims which are now fully operational. The hubs have established improved focus on and greater control of children’s cases, to build expertise, identify efficiencies and provide a consistency of decision making (and quicker outcomes) for our customers.We continue to work collaboratively with Local Authorities nationally on the remote interview process for Accompanied and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children and young people utilising digital interviewing video capabilities to complement in person interviews.Since May 2021 we have increased Local Authority opt in for digital interviewing to 108 Local Authorities helping to speed up processes, reduce delays and the numbers of children and young people who have an outstanding claim.We are continuing to recruit additional decision-makers who will be trained to process children’s asylum claims.

Children: Protection

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to assist the Children's Commissioner for England in (a) locating school pupils who have long-term absence from school and (b) addressing any associated safeguarding concerns.

Rachel Maclean: The Home Office is the Government department responsible for policing in England and Wales. At a national level the police are represented in the ‘Attendance Action Alliance’ formed by the Secretary of State for Education in December 2021; working in partnership with other Alliance members (including the Children’s Commissioner for England) to achieve the aim of increasing attendance in schools.As statutory safeguarding partners, police forces in England must make arrangements to work together with relevant agencies across their area (including schools) to identify and respond to the needs of children in their area, in order to safeguard them and promote their welfare.Home Office officials have been closely engaged with their colleagues in the Department for Education throughout the pandemic to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on school attendance and any associated safeguarding issues. Government departments will continue to work collaboratively in shaping our strategic approach to supporting and safeguarding vulnerable children and young people.

Travel: Coronavirus

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of travellers who have been unable to complete the passenger locator form for a return journey to the UK, in the context of there being a 48 hour window for people to complete that form before arriving in the UK, because they did not have access to the internet.

Kevin Foster: Current regulations require transport operators to check all passengers have completed the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) prior to departure to the UK.We do not have specific data on the number of passengers that have not been able to complete the form because they did not have access to the internet.However, from the assurance checks carried out by UK authorities there continues to be very high levels of compliance and the vast majority of travellers are meeting the UK’s health requirements for travel, including completion of the PLF before departure.We engage closely with travel industry partners and operators and take onboard their feedback. As part of a wider review to reduce and simplify the PLF, we will also be extending the PLF completion window from 48 hours to three days from the end of February.

Police: Steroid Drugs

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been disciplined for (a) possessing and (b) failing a drugs test for anabolic steroids by police force in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Kit Malthouse: Information on the number of police officers disciplined for being in possession of or failing a drugs test for anabolic steroids is not collected centrally by the Home Office.The Home Office collects and publishes high level information annually on the number and outcome of misconduct proceedings involving police officers. The latest data, which covers cases in the year ending March 2020, are available here: Police workforce, England and Wales: 30 September 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Following the introduction of new legislation in February 2020 to overhaul the police discipline system, the Home Office has expanded its data collection to collect more granular information on police misconduct including allegation type. However, data specifically relating to the possession or use of anabolic steroids are not included in this improved data collection. The Home Office is working with forces to improve data to reach a publishable standard in the near future.

Asylum

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK’s asylum system takes into account gender or trauma related needs.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of women applying for asylum in the UK are given the option to be interviewed by a woman.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has commissioned research on the first-hand experiences of women and girls seeking asylum in the UK.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment she has made of the treatment of (a) men and (b) women in the asylum system.

Kevin Foster: The UK has a proud history of providing protection to the most vulnerable people in genuine need, including women, and this will not change. This government remains committed to delivering a gender-sensitive asylum system ensuring all those who seek asylum are treated with dignity and respect.The Nationality and Borders Bill will deliver the Government’s New Plan for Immigration – the most comprehensive reform in decades, to fix the broken asylum system. The reformed asylum system will be sensitive to gender and trauma-related needs, for example continuing to provide the opportunity for all those claiming asylum to be interviewed by an individual of the same gender and a trauma informed approach to avoid re-traumatisation whilst an individual is in the asylum system.We are taking into account commissioned research and experiences of those seeking asylum. Engagement through our stakeholder networks, including on the New Plan for Immigration, is already underway, as we build a system that is fair, but firm; safeguarding those who may be vulnerable and protecting against any unintended consequences.We routinely publish breakdowns of asylum applications outcomes by gender which are publicly available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

Terrorism: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2022 to Question 116031, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the finding of the Integrated Review that it is likely that a terrorist group will launch a successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapon attack by 2030.

Damian Hinds: The Home Secretary regularly discusses national security risks, including CBRN ones, with her counterparts.CONTEST, the UK’s strategy for countering terrorism, is clear that it is a core priority to ensure the UK is resilient and ready to respond in a proportionate and effective manner to a wide range of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) threats.Mitigating the risk of a terrorist attack using CBRN weapons continues to be an important element of the Homeland Security Group’s remit. The continued importance placed on this work is evidenced from the £270m capital funding over the SR21 period to ensure the UK’s nuclear security remains a robust barrier to malign actors.Home Office officials continue to work closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and other departments to understand the threat posed by terrorist CBRN methodologies and develop and implement methods to mitigate those risks.

Immigration

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the statement in the letter dated 1 February 2022 from her Department's MP Account Management Team to the hon. Member for East Ham that we have currently suspended the process of automatically requiring an applicant to complete 10 years on the family route, following the lifting of no recourse to public funds conditions and will instead review their situation in line with the immigration rules at their next application for Leave to Remain, what plans she has to update the online guidance to reflect that change.

Kevin Foster: We are currently reviewing the policy whereby an applicant on the family route who submits a change of conditions application and receives recourse to public funds is then required to complete 10 years on the family route in order to qualify for settlement.Pending this review we have currently suspended the process of automatically requiring an applicant to complete 10 years on the family route following the lifting of ‘no recourse to public funds’ conditions, and will instead review their situation in line with the Immigration Rules at their next application for leave to remain.We are considering if changes to the online guidance are required.

Asylum: Employment

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to lift the ban on people seeking asylum having the right to work.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office already allows asylum seekers the right to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List, which is based on expert advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee. Being able to acquire a right to work simply by making an asylum claim would act as a significant incentive to lodge unmeritorious claims. Our policy is intended to deter people from undercutting the resident labour market and supports wider changes to fix the broken asylum system.

Offenders: Deportation

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department of 22 November 2021, Official Report, column 9, what plans she has to meet the hon. Member for Rochdale.

Rachel Maclean: The Home Secretary has been in contact with MP Tony Lloyd to discuss this important issue and will arrange a meeting when the diary allows.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Housing Ombudsman Service: Complaints

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps people can take to escalate a complaint where the Housing Ombudsman has (a) acknowledged but not provided further response to an individual initiating a formal complaints process and (b) not responded to an official complaint from an hon. Member on the lack of response to their constituent.

Eddie Hughes: The Housing Ombudsman resolves disputes between social housing residents and their landlords. The service is free to residents, independent of Government and impartial. The Housing Ombudsman Service receives a high volume of cases and is working to deal with them as quickly as possible. In 2020-21, the average time taken to complete an investigation was 5.2 months, down from 5.8 months in 2019-20.

Leasehold: Ground Rent

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the ground rents payable by existing leaseholders.

Eddie Hughes: We are taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market, as announced in January 2021. The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act will put an end to ground rents for most new residential leasehold properties as part of the most significant changes to property law in a generation.We understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. Unfair practices have no place in the housing market and the Government is committed to ending them. This is why the Government asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector. The Government has welcomed the action to tackle potential mis-selling and unfair terms in the leasehold sector and wants to see homeowners who have been affected obtain the justice and redress they deserve.

Luton Airport: Planning Permission

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February to Question 110600, and with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 26 October 2012, Official Report, column 29WS, on Planning Applications, notwithstanding the merits of planning application reference 21/00031/VARCON, if he will commission a sustainability report from the Civil Aviation Authority in order to assess whether the application (a) may conflict with national policies on (i) carbon emissions, (ii) clean air targets and (iii) noise pollution or (b) could have significant effects beyond the immediate locality, in order to inform his consideration on call-in policy.

Eddie Hughes: In considering whether to call in this application, the Secretary of state will take into account representations received and local and national policy, in particular the call-in policy as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of October 2012. It is not the role of the Secretary of state, to commission additional evidence when considering call-in of planning applications.

Housing: Equality

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment has he made of the potential effect of the (a) availability and (b) quality of housing on levels of inequality.

Eddie Hughes: Both a lack of affordable housing, and poor-quality housing can drive inequality and negatively impact on health. The Levelling Up White Paper sets out our plan to tackle this, through our ambition to reduce the number of non-decent rented homes by 50% by 2030, with the biggest improvement in the lowest performing areas, and also through our ambition to deliver 300,000 new homes per year in England by the mid-2020s to create a more sustainable and affordable housing market.

Housing: Construction

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he will take to ensure the Levelling Up agenda delivers housing to meet community need.

Eddie Hughes: The UK Government is committed to levelling up across the whole of the UK to ensure that no community is left behind. The Levelling Up White Paper sets out the Government’s ambition to increase homeownership and housing quality in the rental sectors.We will ensure local leaders have the power to deliver the housing needed in their local areas, delivering the homes this country needs in the areas that need them most.The Government has also committed to improve housing quality in rented sectors, with biggest improvements in the lowest performing areas. Reviews of the Decent Homes Standard and the Housing Health and Safety Rating system already underway; the latter will make the system more efficient and accessible, making it easier for local authorities and residents to hold landlords to account.

Planning

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish the proposed Bill on planning.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish any changes to the proposals set out in the Planning for the Future White Paper separate to and before publishing the forthcoming Bill on planning.

Eddie Hughes: The Government’s recently published Levelling Up White Paper referenced some of our ambitions for changes to the planning system, noting that planning is critical to deliver on our objective of levelling up.The timing, scope and content of any legislation required to deliver these changes is under consideration, and further detail will be shared in due course.

Property Development: Essex

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that new developments in Essex (a) protect the local environment and (b) are in-keeping with the historic style of the county.

Eddie Hughes: Our National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment. The Environment Act's new requirements for biodiversity net gain will ensure that most types of new development will deliver improvements of 10 per cent, or more, for biodiversity.The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code provide guidance to local councils to help them set standards of good design. The guidance advocates for new development that relates well to the site and surroundings, and is positively influenced by the history and heritage of the wider area.

Housing: Equality

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on inequality in communities of a prevalence of low wages in areas of high value housing as part of his work on the levelling up agenda.

Eddie Hughes: The Government's levelling up missions will spread economic opportunity through investment in R&D, skills, connectivity and business finance. The missions and actions to make neighbourhoods safer and ensure decent homes, including in the private rented sector, will address key barriers which contribute to and entrench poverty.The White Paper emphasises the Government's commitment to creating a fair and just housing system that works for everyone. This is essential for spreading opportunity and levelling up. This includes supporting more first-time buyers to move onto the housing ladder, delivering more homes that are genuinely affordable, radically improving housing quality and reducing homelessness.For those who need it most, support is available through Discretionary Housing Payments, the Homelessness Prevention Grant, and the £500 million Household Support Fund, of which £421 million will go to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of essentials over the winter period.This Government has invested heavily in supporting low-income households with their housing costs, with £29 billion spent on housing support alone last year.

Local Government Finance: Cheshire

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced local government funding for Cheshire West and Chester Council on the provision of (a) services and (b) facilities since 2010.

Neil O'Brien: The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23 makes available an additional £3.7 billion to councils, including funding for adult social care reform. This is an increase in local authority funding for 2022/23 of over 4.5% in real terms, which will ensure councils across the country have the resources they need to deliver key services In total, we expect Core Spending Power to rise from £50.4 billion in 2021/22 to up to £54.1 billion in 2022/23. The Government is providing around £1.6 billion additional grant in 2022/23. This includes additional funding for Supporting Families and Cyber Resilience, which will be distributed outside of this Settlement We are allocating most of that funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement, including through a one-off 2022/23 Services Grant, which gives local authorities an additional £822 million of funding for all services. Local authorities can make use of over £1 billion of additional resource specifically for social care in 2022/23 For Cheshire West and Chester Council, this represents an increase in cash terms of up to 6.3% compared to last year, worth £18.3 million.

Council Tax: Rebates

Dame Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to whom the council tax rebate will be paid in cases where tenants pay rent with all bills included, including council tax; and in cases where the landlord receives the rebate, whether there will be a requirement for the landlord to pass it on to the tenant.

Neil O'Brien: My Department will provide guidance to billing authorities on administering the council tax rebate scheme, including on the eligibility criteria. The associated discretionary fund will allow councils to support people that may need help with their energy bills but who are not eligible for the main scheme.

Council Tax: Rebates

Dame Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether additional administrative costs incurred by local authorities in the implementation of the £150 council tax rebate will be a new burdens requirement.

Dame Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether local authorities will receive central Government funding for the additional administrative costs incurred in the rollout of the £144 million discretionary fund for vulnerable people and individuals on low incomes that do not pay council tax or that pay council tax for properties in Bands E-H.

Neil O'Brien: The Government will provide new burdens funding to local authorities to cover reasonable administrative costs incurred in delivering the council tax rebate scheme and the associated discretionary fund.

Platinum Jubilee 2022

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to make funding available to local authorities to arrange civic celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee in 2022.

Eddie Hughes: The Government has written to local authorities in the United Kingdom, highlighting the many opportunities for their communities to get involved in Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) set out a cross-Whitehall vision through the High Streets Strategy which includes the Government’s commitment to support celebrations and the involvement of local communities.In addition, those local authorities who have signed up to take part in the Government’s Welcome Back Fund may choose to use their allocation to undertake preparations for the Platinum Jubilee, before the fund ends on 31 March 2022.

Opportunity and Integration Review

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to take steps to implement the recommendations of the 2016 Casey Review.

Eddie Hughes: Responding to the Casey Review the Government published the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper in March 2018, inviting views on our vision for building strong integrated communities where people - whatever their background - live, work, learn and socialise together, based on shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities In February 2019, the Integrated Communities Action Plan was published alongside the Government's response to the consultation on the Green Paper. The Action Plan built upon the proposals set out in the Green Paper to create socially and economically stronger, more confident and integrated communities - supporting people to progress and make the most of the opportunities of living in the United Kingdom.

Regional Planning and Development: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he has taken to consult with stakeholders in York on levelling up before publishing the levelling up White Paper.

Neil O'Brien: The scale and ambition of levelling up requires genuine co-design, co-delivery, collaboration and input from policymakers, delivery partners, stakeholders and the public across the whole of the UK. The Government is committed to engaging widely and comprehensively with a wide range of stakeholders and partners. My officials are in consistent dialogue with stakeholders in York, including conversations led by our Local Growth team based in Yorkshire. These conversations have included the prospects for a mayoral devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire, for which negotiations will now begin as committed to in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Regional Planning and Development: Dorset

Chris Loder: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what measures announced in his Department's Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper will specifically benefit West Dorset.

Neil O'Brien: The Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper upholds the Government’s central mission to reverse the geographical inequalities faced by our communities by spreading opportunity more equally across the country and by bringing left behind communities up to the level of more prosperous areas. This means spreading prosperity to all corners of the UK, including West Dorset.Firstly, Dorset County Council area is included as one of 55 areas identified by the Department for Education as new Education Investment Areas. More broadly, higher educational attainment will be supported by a £560 million investment over three years into a new National Youth Guarantee.Second, an additional £1.6 billion has been allocated to the British Business Bank’s Regional Investment Funds, which provide debt and equity finance to SMEs. These funds will be specifically directed toward the South West and North East of England, providing significant opportunity for the 97% of businesses within West Devon that are either small or micro-sized.Third, Dorset will also see 5 of the 11 new hospital schemes in the South West.Finally, all areas of the UK will receive an allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund via a funding formula rather than a competition. The fund will seek to restore pride in place to communities across the UK, and a new prospectus will be published later in Spring 2022.

Disadvantaged: Finance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he will take to prioritise investment for communities with areas of severe deprivation.

Neil O'Brien: The United Kingdom is one of the greatest countries in the world, but not everyone shares in its success. Pockets of deprivation exist and the Government’s central task is to level up the UK by spreading opportunity more equally across the country, addressing inequality and deprivation in those areas that have been left behind.The Government’s Levelling Up Fund, of which we expect to launch a second round in spring, has focused on areas most in need of economic recovery, particularly where there is lower productivity, higher unemployment and a higher proportion of people without formal qualifications. Alongside the White Paper, we also set out how communities will be empowered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will invest in local priorities in places in need to help build pride in place and increase life chances.The Levelling Up White Paper has also built on this: the missions and measures on schools and communities it announced, including Education Investment Areas and major investment in youth provision, will target areas of highest need, while the missions and actions to make neighbourhoods safer and ensure decent homes, including in the private rented sector, will address key barriers which contribute to and entrench deprivation.

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he will take with Cabinet colleagues to deliver proposals set out in the levelling up White Paper; and whether accountability for that delivery will sit within his Department or other spending departments.

Neil O'Brien: Achieving the bold national missions we have set out in the Levelling Up White Paper will rely on a ‘system change’ of how government works. These missions will be cross-government, cross-society efforts. The UK Government will introduce a statutory obligation to report annually on progress towards meeting the Levelling Up missions, with each Whitehall department accountable for its contributions towards the collective effort.   We have set up a new Cabinet Sub-Committee with a specific focus on Levelling Up, chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up and bringing together cabinet colleagues to collaborate, share information and resources, and take collective decisions on policies which will drive real change in towns and cities across the UK. Government’s resources, energy, and focus throughout the 2020s will be re-oriented around achieving these missions - and thus squarely focussed on helping the people and parts of the country most struggling.   Whilst the missions are UK-wide ambitions, in the many instances where they are driven by devolved policy levers, the UK government wishes to work hand in hand with the devolved governments to achieve them.

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how frequently he plans to report to Parliament on the progress made on proposals in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Neil O'Brien: Robust monitoring and accountability is a key part of the Levelling Up agenda set out in the White Paper. In addition to welcoming ongoing scrutiny through established Parliamentary mechanisms, the Government will introduce a statutory obligation to report annually on progress towards meeting the Levelling Up missions. The report will draw on the metrics set out in the White Paper and provide rigorous analysis and monitoring of progress in reducing regional disparities. It will also provide progress updates on policy related to addressing spatial differences in living standards and social outcomes across the UK. This annual report will be published and be subject to external and Parliamentary scrutiny.

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how he plans to measure the success of the delivery of proposals in the Government's Levelling Up White Paper.

Neil O'Brien: The Levelling Up White Paper set out 12 ambitious new missions that are targeted, measurable and time-bound declarations of the progress needed to achieve levelling up. Missions are underpinned by a suite of headline and supporting metrics that will support monitoring and evaluation of progress against the missions and Levelling Up policies, and will provide a rich source of information on the evolution of spatial disparities in a broader levelling up context. The preliminary list of metrics is published in the Technical Annex alongside the White Paper. The Government will introduce a statutory obligation to report annually on progress towards meeting the Levelling Up missions, and expects these metrics to form a crucial input.The ONS has also made publicly available a Levelling Up Subnational Data Explorer that will make it easier to extract insight from a wide range of local authority level data on economic and social outcomes in local areas.

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish a more detailed regional levelling up plan.

Neil O'Brien: A key tenet of the Levelling Up White Paper is empowering local leaders to shape how levelling up works in their areas, rather than dictating places’ plans from Whitehall. The White Paper sets out for the first time a clear framework for devolution in England, supporting areas to develop devolution proposals which demonstrate effective leadership and sensible geography. Alongside the White Paper, we also set out how local areas will be empowered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to invest in local priorities which will build pride in place and increase life chances.

Regional Planning and Development

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what data is he using to determine which areas receive investment through his levelling up proposals.

Neil O'Brien: The Levelling Up White Paper provides a clear plan to level up every corner of the UK, underpinned by 12 ambitious “missions” over 10 years and tracked by an annual report on the missions that will monitor levelling up progress and allow the government to be held to account.

Equality

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to tackle inequality within areas as part of the Levelling Up agenda.

Neil O'Brien: As the Levelling Up White Paper acknowledges, there are disparities both between and within regions, across economic, social and environmental measures. There is variation between and within large and small cities, as well as towns and rural places. The Government’s central focus is to reverse this unfairness, spreading opportunity more equally and bringing left behind communities up to the level of more prosperous areas.The missions set out in the White Paper - on which the Government will have a statutory obligation to report annually - explicitly aim to raise the bar across all parts of the country, at the neighbourhood level as well as at the city or county level. In particular, the Government’s emphasis on improving skills, housing quality and digital and physical connectivity, and on supporting community-led initiatives to bolster pride in place and life chances, will help more people to flourish in every part of every area in the UK.

Platinum Jubilee 2022

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps his Department has taken with local communities to organise celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Neil O'Brien: On 6 January 2022, the Secretary of State wrote to all local authority leaders and chief executives in the United Kingdom to outline how councils may wish to support their communities in celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The letter specifically referenced Street Parties, the Big Jubilee Lunch, Beacon Lighting, events in local authority owned amenities, the use of the Platinum Jubilee Emblem, The Queen’s Green Canopy, the City Status Competition, local pageants, and broadcasting in public spaces of the television feed of the celebrations. The letter provided councils with links to further information and guidance in support of any plans which they may wish to make.The letter also encouraged councils to promote the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport's Platinum Jubilee website. This website features an interactive events map, to which people and organisations can add their own Jubilee themed events, thereby making it easier to identify and promote events running locally.On 4 October 2021 the Department updated its guidance on organising street parties; in his letter of 6 January the Secretary of State recommended that street parties be encouraged and suggested that relaxing road closure rules would be important to make it as easy as possible for street parties to take place.The Department issues a daily Local Government Bulletin to council leaders, chief executives and senior officials. This has regularly included items on Jubilee events and guidance and will continue to do so in the coming months.

Regional Planning and Development

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the timeline is for his Department to release further plans for levelling up areas not referred to in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Neil O'Brien: The Government is committed to levelling up all parts of the UK. We will go further in putting money and power in local hands. Alongside the White Paper, we set out how Shropshire and other local areas will be empowered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to invest in local priorities which will build pride in place and increase life chances. We also expect to launch the next round of the Levelling Up Fund this spring.Finally, the White Paper sets out for the first time a clear framework for devolution in England, supporting areas to develop devolution proposals which demonstrate effective leadership and sensible geography.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Trade Unions

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the union density is in his Department.

Michael Ellis: Cabinet Office staff are able to join a Trade Union if they choose. This is done directly with the Trade Union and not shared with us. We are, therefore, unable to provide the information requested.

Investigation into Alleged Gatherings on Government Premises During Covid Restrictions

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister received (a) legal advice or (b) representations on the investigation into alleged gatherings on Government premises during covid-19 restrictions conducted by the Second Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office.

Michael Ellis: As has been the practice under successive administrations, the Government does not comment on legal advice that may or may not have been sought or received.

Prime Minister: Departmental Responsibilities

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral answers of the Paymaster General on 7 February 2022, on his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and associated Machinery of Government changes, what plans he has to (a) combine the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office and (b) create a separate Office of the Prime Minister department.

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a budget has been agreed for the Office of the Prime Minister.

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House of Commons on (a) answering oral questions and (b) a select committee in relation to his role as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.

Michael Ellis: The Government has accepted the Second Permanent Secretary’s general findings in full and is in the course of making changes. Further details will be announced in due course. I refer the Hon. Member back to the reply I gave to her on 7 February 2022 (Hansard volume 708, from column 695).

Prime Minister: Staff

Chris Bryant: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on whether the Deputy Chief of Staff at Downing Street is a designated member of Francis Maude Associates; and what shareholding she retains in that partnership.

Michael Ellis: All special advisers make a declaration of interests to their employing department. Steps are then taken to ensure no conflict of interest or mitigate any potential conflict to the satisfaction of the relevant Permanent Secretary, and relevant interests are published on GOV.UK. This process has been followed and overseen by the Cabinet Office. Baroness Finn's relevant interests were duly and transparently declared in this register, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-publication-of-special-adviser-interests As noted in this register: “Baroness Finn has undertaken not to have any involvement in, or association with, the activities of Francis Maude Associates LLP or FMAP Ltd”.Francis Maude Associates LLP is dormant and does not trade. There has been no activity other than filing (limited) accounts for the dormant company as required by company law. This is separate from the advisory company (FMAP Ltd) that still trades. Baroness Finn resigned as a Director in February 2021 - this was made clear in Baroness Finn's Lords register of interests, and on the Companies House record. This approach was agreed with the Cabinet Office. It is in line with the Special Adviser Code, the House of Lords Code of Conduct, and the Principles on Standards in Public Life.

Prime Minister: Civil Servants and Ministerial Policy Advisers

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the oral answers of the Paymaster General on 7 February 2022, whether he will have authority in his capacity as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister to direct (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers.

Michael Ellis: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a Minister of the Crown and will have all the attendant powers and functions of a Minister of the Crown, including the authority to direct civil servants and special advisers in the normal way.

Prime Minister: Staff

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral answers of the Paymaster General on 7 February 2022, who will be responsible for appointing staff to the new Office of the Prime Minister; and what plans he has for staff of that department to be (a) special advisers and (b) officials.

Michael Ellis: Appointments will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

Islam: Discrimination

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the terms of reference are of his Department's investigation into allegations of Islamophobia within Government; and who is conducting that investigation.

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the findings of his Department's investigation into allegations of Islamaphobia in Government will be published; and what the timeframe is for that investigation to conclude.

Michael Ellis: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to Paragraph 1.4 of the Ministerial Code and the published Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests. In line with well established policy in relation to investigations under the Ministerial Code, it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further during an ongoing investigation. That is intended to protect the rights of all involved.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Correspondence

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the average response time was for her Department to respond to an enquiry from an MP once an enquiry had been received by the MP (a) hotline and (b) account management team in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents.Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers for 2019 and 2020 is published on Gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers. Data for 2021 will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.

Overseas Trade: Israel

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of trade in services between the UK and Israel in the past ten years.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: The United Kingdom is strongly committed to our trade and investment relationship with Israel, one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and innovative economies. In 2020, our services trade totalled £1.7 billion, which is an increase of 84.5% since 2010. Financial services and professional business services were our largest exports to Israel in 2020. On 1st February, the Department for International Trade launched a public consultation on a new free trade deal that will play to British and Israeli strengths as fellow tech superpowers, boosting our strong trade relationship in digital, services and life sciences.

Trade Agreements: Digital Technology

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she will seek membership of the Digital Economy Partnership agreement; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: The United Kingdom has no current plans to seek membership of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement. Current members include New Zealand, Singapore and Chile.Of these, the United Kingdom is currently finalising her Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand and her Digital Economy Agreement with Singapore. Both will include forward-leaning digital provisions. Finally, the United Kingdom-Chile relationship will be enhanced through the roadmap recently agreed at the United Kingdom-Chile Association Council.The United Kingdom will continue to develop her position as a world-leader in digital trade, as showcased by the G7 Digital Trade Principles agreed under her Presidency and in the ground-breaking aforementioned agreement with Singapore.

Overseas Trade: Cameroon

Claudia Webbe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what export licences have been granted for the sale of equipment to (a) Cameroon government security forces and (b) the Battalion d’Intervention Rapide.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: Only one licence has been granted for the armed forces of Cameroon in the last five years. This was for decoying/detection/disposal/jamming equipment to tackle improvised explosive devices.

Trade Agreements: India

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 31 January 2022, HCWS570, on Trade Update, what discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on ensuring that the free trade agreement being negotiated between India and the UK does not undermine UK (a) animal welfare, (b) environmental and (c) food safety standards; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade met her Indian counterpart in New Delhi on 13th January to launch the United Kingdom-India trade negotiations. Defending the interests of British consumers and producers is a priority for HM Government, and the Department for International Trade has been clear that more trade need not come at the expense of our high environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards. We are a world leader in these areas and that will not change.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Ofcom: Telecommunications

John Penrose: With reference to the Penrose review, published in February 2021, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendation in that review that Ofcom should promote competition and reduce regulatory burdens in the communications sector.

Julia Lopez: Our Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review recognised that promoting competition and stable, long-term regulation were critical to our connectivity ambitions. We embedded these goals into Ofcom’s Statement of Strategic Priorities.Moreover, work continues across government on the UK’s regulatory frameworks: the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has consulted on reforms to competition and consumer policy; and, the government has set out its vision for modernising the economic regulation of the utilities sectors, including telecommunications.

Data Protection

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help enable UK citizens to control their own data.

Julia Lopez: The government has put together an ambitious package of reforms to create a new data protection regime that is pro-growth and trusted for our citizens and businesses.Our proposed regime should incentivise organisations to invest more effectively in the governance, policies and tools that protect personal data so that UK citizens can have even greater confidence that personal data is being used responsibly.We recently consulted on our proposed reforms and will be setting out next steps shortly.

Charities and Community Development: Ethnic Groups

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to Black-led charities and/or Black-led community organisations in each year from 2015 to 2021.

Nigel Huddleston: DCMS has not routinely collected this data across all of our programmes. Policy officials are currently reviewing how DCMS captures data on civil society organisations that are black-led, as well as other inclusivity and diversity metrics going forward.DCMS’ Coronavirus Community Support Fund (CCSF) granted £200 million to small and medium sized charities) in 2020. The National Lottery Community Fund awarded 12% of all grants to organisations which benefited BAME people/groups and had leadership with relevant lived experience. The value of these contracts was £21,859.432.00.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the UK's coastal tourism industry.

Nigel Huddleston: Our national tourism agency, VisitBritain, is launching a new international and domestic campaign this month, which will focus on driving visitor recovery in the UK. This is additional to the Tourism Recovery Plan, which was published by DCMS in June 2021.VisitBritain and The National Lottery’s current ‘Days Out’ campaign supports the domestic tourism industry by stimulating demand for off-season domestic day trips to visitor attractions and experiences for young families. Attraction examples include Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours, Clacton Pier, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and various locations of SEA LIFE.Coastal tourism is an important part of the British tourism sector. 10% of all visits to the UK include going to the coast or beaches and 11% of all visits include walking along the coast.The business advice hub, our business webinars, We’re Good to Go and DMO support all available to the sector, including those in coastal locations.Coastal destinations were supported via the Discover England Fund as part of the England’s Coast project up to 2021. VisitBritain continues to support their initiatives, through marketing, PR and business support.Press trips have taken place on coastal destinations and continue to be part of VisitBritain’s ongoing campaigns and activities where the pandemic has allowed international and domestic travel.

Swimming Pools: VAT

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact on accessibility to swimming pools for low income families' access to swimming pools of the VAT charged on the hire of swimming pools.

Nigel Huddleston: All generations and communities should be able to enjoy the physical and mental health, wellbeing, social and other benefits of being active; as well as having access to high quality facilities in which to do so.Since May 2019 Sport England has invested £9,112,554 to support grassroots development in Swimming & Diving. Sport England continues to monitor participation levels throughout the country to ensure these investments are made where they are most needed.The hiring of swimming pools, and swimming lessons, qualify for an exemption from VAT when certain conditions are met as outlined in VAT Notice 742 paragraph 5. The Government has no plans to change this.Tax is reserved to the Chancellor of Exchequer and HM Treasury.

National Lottery Community Fund

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department received representations in support of Mohamed Amersi's application to be chair of the National Lottery Community Fund.

Nigel Huddleston: The appointment of the Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund is made by the Secretary of State. The appointment is made in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments, which is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The process to appoint a new Chair in 2021 was run in line with the Governance Code, through a fair and open competition.

Swimming Pools

Mrs Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to improve access to swimming pools.

Nigel Huddleston: The Government recognises the importance of improving access to pools however the responsibility primarily lies at Local Authorities level. Swimming is a crucial life skill, as well as a great way to stay fit, and I encourage Local Authorities to invest in swimming facilities. In response to the pandemic, the government supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools through the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund. Sport England has also awarded over £24 million to swimming and diving projects since April 2017.